Voice of the Wanderer
by Odama Rasendori
Summary: After the defeat of the Akatsuki, and the end of the shinobi era, Naruto is the only one left standing. He travels the world for years, only to return to Japan, to live the remainder of his days. Naru/Ino, other minor pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**Voice of the Wanderer  
**

**Naruto Fanfiction**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a single shred of Naruto.**

**Chapter 1: My Spirit Will Go On  
**

__________________________________________________

Time, an ever present, ever living entity of earth, waits for no man. It flows through history, meeting faces and never seeing them again for all the years to come. As powerful as time is, however, there was only one living person it couldn't flow through, until just recently. My name is... hmm... actually, I've all but forgotten that aspect of me. I've lived for so long, seen so many faces, and watched them all die right in front of me. I was born like you, but didn't live your life.

Ever since birth, people have been underestimating me and treated me like I was the scum of the earth, and I understand, at least to a certain extent. It took me a while to gain their trust, especially because I finally understood why I was treated as if I was less than the very brown substance that is the foundation of the world we live in. I gained their trust, formed friendships, gained relationships, became stronger. I had my share of enemies, but they helped me through it all, and I don't think I can ever thank them enough.

Where my benefactors are now, I know and at the same time, don't know. Remember what I said when I mentioned that I was born like you, but didn't live the same life you did? I was being down to earth serious. There was something inside me, something that should have been killed but refused to die. He... or rather, it, is an evil entity, or so I thought. We never really learned to get along with each other, but as time passed, we drew a line on each other's thoughts and decided to do some bonding.

Actually, this being was so much of a pompus and negative entity that I had to open up to him myself. I suppose I'm glad I did. He wanted me dead so he could escape and live the world as he used to. But he was sealed away, unable to move around in his cage, so he made the best of his sealed eternity. We talked, bonded, formed a friendship, despite his constant protests of being against such an idea. As evil as he was, I was able to purify him.

He's not around anymore, moved on like the rest of my benefactors. But I suppose you're wondering something right now, why haven't I moved on? That is a question I don't mind answering. You see, before he moved on, he had one final gift for me. At the moment, I was dying, almost already at the brink of death, when he did the unthinkable. His spirit dissolved into my flesh and my bones, pouring out his remaining strength to me, so that I may live.

That selfless act to save my life, cost him his own, but you know what? He didn't mind. He told me that I was his first friend and he wanted me to live out the rest of my life. As his purified spirit ascended, he smiled to me, telling me to live for him and for everyone who died trying to protect me. Now you're probably wondering, who died? Who was protecting me from what? I can answer that too. My benefactors died, protecting me from what may have been the saddest end in the world.

I was captured by very evil people. Now, these people weren't really up for negotiations, especially when I was the last person on their list of people to kidnap. This group of people, this organization, was a group that I trained for years to overcome, but I was weak. I was still too weak. They called out to me, begging for my help, but I couldn't. I couldn't even help myself. And so they, just as my first savior, did the unthinkable too. They all gave their lives so that I may summon the strength to defeat these people. When it was all over, everyone around me, all that I lived for, all that I would have died for, were gone.

Their bodies rested from the dirt where they once came from, our very early ancestors anyway. I was the last one to be breathing any oxygen. As far as my ocean blue eyes could see... nothing but death and destruction. I looked around the place where I was born and grew up in, the buildings that housed me since birth, the people I swore to protect, were the things, the ones who protected me. And so I lived, waiting for time to claim me as it should, so I can join them in eternal happiness.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Remember my first benefactor? The one who said that I was his first friend? When his essence fused into mine, I gained one of his gifts, or rather a curse if you will. I wanted to join my loved ones in peace, but I learned that I couldn't. Said benefactor was no ordinary entity, he was an eternal one. A an evil fox demon who was responsible of the deaths of countless innocents. He was sealed inside me after he was bested by my hero and the one I later learned to be none other than my own flesh and blood, my own father.

At first, I hated him for putting this demonic curse into me, for causing me to live my childhood devoid of any happiness that children should go through. But then, how could a son hate his father forever? Sure my childhood sucked, but I would never have made such a friend like that demon, if not for my father. That demon saved my life, when I was at the brink of death. Because I was able to live, I was able to rid the world of the evil curtain that shrouded it and would have for a very long time. I half wish that the demon didn't though. His curse was the power of immortality. With such a curse, I was able to live through it all, not able to die.

Because of my inability to die, I traveled the world, exploring all of life's mysteries just because I can. Due to my carelessness, I should have died many times, but the demon's power wouldn't allow that kind of ending for me. It's not like it was my intention to get killed, but you know how we humans are, we're just careless, right? There were so many things I learned and so many new friends I made, but in the end, they all grew old and died, while I remained at this age, this cursed age of 17.

How long has it been? How long have I been 17 years old? My seemingly countless amount of calendars can tell me that. The last time I looked, I've been 17 for 500 years. Has it really been that long? I kinda forgot since time can't really pass through me, or rather, I can't pass with time. But enough about my past. I'm tired of reminiscing, I can't handle it anymore. I always end up crying myself to sleep whenever I have to move to a new home so people wouldn't think of me as an immortal freak of nature.

Fortunately, heaven finally answered my prayers after so long. Just last month, when I accidentally prinked my finger while sowing some clothes, I noticed something. Whenever I would get injured, I would heal from it quickly. But this time, the healing was much slower than usual. The wound closed after about a minute, still faster than the normal cellular regeneration of any mortal being, but it was definitely slower. Two weeks after that incident, I found myself growing a mustache, something that has never happened to me before. Putting two and two together, I realized that without the demon inside me, his essence would have eventually faded away.

Time is catching up to me now. After 500 years, I think this may be my last century in this world. I can finally join my friends and family, wherever they may be but not just yet. For centuries, I've been going from town to town, trying to live a normal life. Ever since my not so literal age of 47, I stopped making any relationships because I know I would just cry about them when they died and left me. But since this is going to be my last strand of life, maybe it won't be too hard to do it again.

I sighed to myself as I took a glance at the institution where my learning would take place. The building and the ones next to it didn't look too bad, but it was mainly the name of the building that sort of got to me. It was like de ja vu of sorts. As a 17 year old kid... erm... person, this new continent forced me to go back to school. When I made my umpteenth identity, I stated in my information and records that I'm a transfer student from a the western lands. What did they call that place? I think it was America, back when I was last there, some years ago.

I learned in there that having blond hair wasn't a rarity at all. A lot of people had blond hair in that place, but they all spoke a language that I didn't, a very odd language called English. It took my a while to learn that, and I have to say that I've gotten pretty good at it. But I won't need English for where I am. I'm here again, back in good old Japan, where I was born and raised. I haven't been here for a couple of centuries and it's nice to be back home. Oh and, my new learning institution is called Kono high school.

I chuckled at the thought of it. Kono high kind of matched Konoha. You're not laughing? Well I thought it was funny. Anyway, I don't think I'll have to worry about money for a long time, maybe even ever. America, where I lived for a good portion of my seemingly eternal life, I made friends with this really old man. I saved him from being mugged by a bunch of low life crooks and in turn, he took me in. He died about a couple of months ago, a smile crept on his wrinkled face as he left the world. But before he did, he made sure that my name was in his will.

To make a long story short, I'm pretty much the richest "17" year old person in this planet. And to top it all off, the exchange rate from America to Japan is pretty heavy. My already massive bank account is pretty much quadrupled, maybe even more. I have enough money to keep me living the good life for a long time, but my travels around the world taught me a bit of humility, as did my previous teachers. I don't live in a mansion or a large corporal estate, and I promise you, I can do that. I've had enough lessons on business to be able to run a successful one but that's not the kind of life I want. I live in a pretty normal house, not standing out from anyone else' place. I choose to live the rest of my life in peace.

Oh dear, I think that was the tardy bell I just heard. How time finally passes by me, hm? I hopped off of my motorcycle and chained it to a save spot. I've been here before, for my orientation and was shown around the place, so I know where to go. I entered the main building and proceeded to my locker. I entered the combination that I was given, a week ago, and opened it. As I placed my helmet and back pack away, I pulled my books out. I was about to close it, when my eyes swerved to a mirror that was seemingly glued inside my locker.

I looked at myself, a bit proud that my image hasn't changed much, over the years. My hair is a little longer than it used to be, longer than when I was serving under Tsunade-baachan, but still short, to some extent. I never really felt like fixing my hair, as it would never obey my commands and just spike up on its own. I'm actually glad that this place has a uniform conduct. With all the clothes I own, I don't think I would have been able to choose a proper outfit for the day.

I stand at a good 5'11, a height that never really improved or worsened. Throughout the years, I've been keeping up with my shinobi training though, training only within the confines of my own home or private living quarters. The age of shinobi is over, I'm the last of my kind. If someone saw me forming the Rasengan on my palm, or creating shadow clones, they would refer to me as a magician. The hidden village of shinobi were just that, hidden. Their age ended without anyone to continue their legacy, except myself of course. I think my physique has been maintained pretty well, having a rock hard abdomen structure and an equally tough set of pectorals.

My arms and legs were quite toned too. But males are required to wear black jackets to match with their black pants, so I suppose no one will be seeing my arms. My outfit was a simple set of black pants, a white collared shirt, the aforementioned black jacket, a red tie, and a pair of white shoes. I'd have to say that this is pretty comfortable. I carried my necessary books and closed my locker, heading straight for my first class.

When I arrived, I looked at my list of classes again. The paper said "room 3A." When I looked at the wall, it did have a sign that said 3A. I guess this is it. Beyond this door is my first educational class since that time in New York when I learned how to speak English. I knocked on the door, a both excited and wracked with a serious case of what felt like my first nervous breakdown. Okay, I don't know why my body is reacting this way but I have to shake it off. When there was no answer, I knocked again.

Suddenly, the chattering from inside the room, stopped. They probably heard my knock, which was a little louder than the first. I heard footsteps coming closer and closer. That must be the teacher coming, or someone of equal stature and position in this school. When the door opened, it took a lot of willpower to keep my jaws from hanging down. What in the world was he doing here? He died with the others, right? Right in front of me was a carbon copy, a spitting image of my first teacher, Iruka-sensei.

"Can I help you?" he asked. Of course he wouldn't recognize me, but this is amazing, what is he doing here? I saw him killed by Zetsu, along with Anko. It was then that I remembered something that some monks in China taught me, something about a lesson in reincarnation. To make a very long lecture short, reincarnation was pretty much a second life on earth, after death. However, the soul's memory of what it was on earth, was wiped clean, so he or she can live a fresh start with his or her new life. This must be what had occured.

But I wonder, if Iruka-sensei was reincarnated, does that mean the same for the others too? When my brain returned to reality, I remembered that this man asked my a question that I probably haven't answered yet. I bowed to him, embarrassed at my first impression on him.

"I am the foreign exchange student from the states. I'm sorry, I got lost on my way here," I replied, giving him a very terrible excuse for my tardiness. The man nodded and ushered me inside. When I walked in with him, he stood behind his podium and looked to the rest of the class. I looked around the room, it looked just like any other classroom, much like the ones in America, China, Korea, etc. When I was done looking around, I looked to my teacher and smiled.

"This young man, ladies and gentlmen, is the foreign exchange student from America. He has passed all of his entrance exams with flying colors and I do hope that you all will take advantage of the knowledge and wisdom that he can offer to you," he said as he finished introducing me. He turned to me with what looked like an emotionless look. How nice... "Young man, why don't you introduce yourself to the class before you take a seat?"

"Yes sir," I said, finally looking over to my classmates. My eyes widened when I saw them, well, some of them.

There were many faces to look at, but only some of whom I actually recognized. A teen, probably the same age as I would be, according to my appearance, sat at the side, gazing outside from the window. His head adorned a pineapple style haircut, wearing the ever so bored expression on his face as I remembered when I last saw him. Another teen, who sat at the other side of the room, opposite from him, was writing something in her notebook. She had two buns on her head, which was hair of course. Her chocolate brown bangs fell in front of her eyes. She wore exactly what the girls in this school wore. She wore a white, long sleeve blouse over her upper body and a black vest that could be buttoned up to hold her bust.

I rolled my eyes at that thought. She wore a red tie as well, but was hidden under her black vest, showing only the knot. She wore a red skirt that reached at mid-thigh and a pair of black high socks that reached just a couple of inches below the ends of her skirt. Lastly, she wore a pair of white shoes on her feet. There they were, Shikamaru and Tenten.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. It's nice to meet you all," I said as I bowed to them as well. I figured it would be nice to use my old name one last time. This is my last century of life after all, right? I turned to face my teacher and bowed to him again.

"I am Umino Iruka, but you may call me Umino-sensei," he said. I nodded my head. I would have preferred Iruka-sensei but oh well, right? I turned around and wondered where to sit. There was only really one empty spot, and that one was behind the one who looked like a perfect image of Tenten. I took my seat and took my history book out, which was what this class was about. As I took my notebook out as well, I stole a glance at the girl who were one of the many who sacrificed their lives for me.

When Pein was about to strike me down, she and Lee were the first to come to my defense, losing their lives in the process. It's like seeing a ghost, but only she was really here. I'm not sure how long I was staring for, but when I caught my eyes blinking twice, my eyes met hers. She looked at my like I was a rapist. And to add to the misconception, I had a grin on my lips. I turned back to my table quickly. I was just thinking about our memories in the past, nothing else, but she probably wouldn't believe that.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare," I started. She spared me a glance and rolled her eyes. Oh great, I really do suck at first impressions, don't I? But does it really count as a first impression? Well, in their lifetime, I suppose it does. "It's just that, you look someone who was very important to me."

"Was?" she asked. I nodded.

"She... moved away when we were younger. I haven't seen her since," I said. Well, it isn't a total lie. She's not around anymore and hasn't been for many years now.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Uzumaki-san, but this isn't a class for recalling old memories. This is a history class and if you don't mind, I need to continue writing notes or I'll never pass this class," she said. Wow, I don't remember Tenten ever being this harsh. I wonder if the others are like this too. Come to think of it, would they be here? Tenten, Shikamaru, and Iruka-sensei are here so the others should be here as well. I suppose only time will tell. I looked away from the girl and paid attention to Iruka-sensei's lecturing.

Throughout the class, I mostly doodled on my notebook, especially with the given fact that I already knew all these things. I'm a living, walking relic, for goodness sake. I met Abraham Lincoln, I even helped Benjamin Franklin with his discovery of lightning. I know all these things about the Japanese deities; Amaterasu, Tsukiyomi, and Susanoo. Sasuke almost got me with Amaterasu once, when we fought for the last time, atop the face of the third Hokage's monument. I was balancing my pencil on my nose, when I heard a voice calling to me.

"I see you have some extra time for foolishness, Uzumaki-san. I'm disappointed, I did expect more from you," said Iruka-sensei. I had my hands on the back of my head, looking up at the ceiling. The entire class was looking at me now. "Tell me then, Uzumaki-san, a piece of background information on Amaterasu."

"According to Japanese mythology, she's the sun goddess, born from the left eye of the earlier god, Izanagi, as he purified himself in a river," I said in a tone that clearly meant that I know what I'm talking about. "If translated using the western language of English, her name can actually mean 'that which illuminates, or shines through, heaven.' And on top of all that, she's one hot deity, although if she heard me say that, she would burn me to a crisp."

Iruka-sensei raised an eyebrow, clearly impressed at my knowledge about the sun goddess. I meant what I said though, I did meet Amaterasu once. How that happened, I'd rather not share. My classmates gawked at me as I took the pencil from my nose and started flipping it like it was some coin. Shikamaru's eyes were actually on me. If his past self were alive, he probably wouldn't care. Take that, Shikamaru! I may not have ever been able to beat you in Shoji but your expression of amazement today is something I'll cherish until I die. Then I can laugh at your face in the afterlife.

Tenten was also looking my way, having stopped her writing when Iruka-sensei called me out. She looked pretty impressed too. I guess all that studying is finally paying off. I never thought that I had the affinity for educational studies but it just goes to show that you learn something new everyday. Iruka-sensei sighed and nodded as I flashed him one of my trademark smiles.

"Well, at least you were paying attention to my lectures. I suppose I'll continue," he said as he turned back to face the board. Just then, I had the sudden urge to stand. I didn't want to, but my legs already pushed me up. Man, I'm really making one hell of a first impression with these guys. All they're doing is staring at me.

"Ne, Umino-sensei, why don't you let me teach for the remainder of the class period? I'm pretty good with Japanese mythology and besides, those bags under your eyes clearly state that you haven't had much sleep last night. What do you say?" I asked. I had no intention in saying any of that but I didn't want to sit back down either without doing something. Sensei looked me in the eye for a few seconds and nodded, accepting my offer. I cocked up an eyebrow. I didn't expect him to actually agree but whatever.

He stepped aside, sitting on his chair and allowed me to take the class from him. I took a stick of chalk and started writing some things down on the board. As I wrote, my classmates copied the notes down. As a shinobi, I do have heightened senses. I can hear everyone's pencil's moving, except for one person. I clenched the chalk stick, turned around, and tossed it at one pineapple haired teen who was looking at the clouds again.

"Pay attention, Shikamaru-baka!" I shouted. The guy looked at me in annoyance.

"How the heck do you know my name?" he asked. Oh shoot... he has a point. Okay, gotta think of a way out of this. I shouted that name on impulse and that's not good, not yet anyway. I looked at Umino-sensei's podium and saw a roll sheet and a separate sheet that stated who sat where.

"I know your name because of this roll sheet and this seating chart that happened to be on Umino-sensei's podium," I replied quickly, waving the two sheets of paper at him. In the inside, my heart was beating so fast and so hard that it was threatening to jump out of my throat. That was way too close.

"Fine, whatever..." said the teen as he pulled his notebook out.

The rest of the class was pretty entertaining. I got to teach one of the things I was really good at, mainly because I lived through it. It's one thing to learn something, but it's another thing to live the experience. When the bell rang for our next class, my peers exited the classroom, leaving my sensei quite baffled at the seemingly never ending stream of knowledge that was in my brain. I picked up my books and went to my next class as well. I ran my hands through my pocket and picked up my class list. While glancing at it, I bumped against someone's shoulder and almost dropped my books. I looked to see who it was and my eyes widened for the second time today.

Was that Sasuke? Sasuke Uchiha? The raven-haired young man narrowed his eyes at me for a second, before walking away. So he's here too, huh? When I arrived at my next class, the door was already open but not that many students were present yet. When I looked for a place to sit, someone sat right behind me. I turned to see who it was, my jaw dropping down.

"H-Hinata-chan?" I slightly stuttered as I uttered her name from my mouth. Damn she's gorgeous in that school uniform! The pale-eyed girl looked at me as she sat herself down on her seat. She looked at me strangely.

"I don't think I know you. Have we met before?" she asked me in her ever so sweet voice. Hinata was the third person who died for me, shortly after Tenten with the first one being Lee. I was really angered when she died because she confessed her love for me and I wasn't able to return it. Honestly speaking, I did have a little thing for the young Hyuuga but I was far too caught up with my need to become Hokage that the feeling shortly slipped away. I blinked twice, returning to reality. I sat down on the chair and turned to face her. I extended my hand out to her, shaking it.

"No, we haven't met before. You just look like someone I used to know," I said. She nodded at me and smiled. "By the way, my name is Uzumaki Naruto, a foreign exchange student from the west."

"I am Hyuuga Hinata, very nice to meet you, Uzu... maki... san..." she trailed off quietly. Her head tilted to the left, right, and then left once more, every time she stated a segment of my surname. I was about to ask her what's up, when she narrowed her eyes at me. "I'm sorry but are you sure we have never met? Just now, when I said your name, it felt familiar to me in ways that I don't know."

I looked at her quietly, of course she would react that way. Her past life had feelings that were so strong for me that it probably even rivaled my desire to become the Hokage. Everyone in the village pretty much knew it except me and oh how stupid I felt for it. I smiled at her, taking my hands away from hers. Those were the days of the past and it's unhealthy for me to keep reminiscing about them. Those were events that took place centuries ago and they wouldn't want me to torment myself for them.

"Yes I'm sure of it, Hyuuga-san. We have never met," I assured her. She nodded.

"Oh and please, just Hinata is fine. I don't like my friends referring to me with honorifics. And I feel that being on a first name basis is a good way to strengthen an early friendship," she said. I nodded at that. That's fine with me.

"Then, Hinata-chan?" I asked.

"Yes, that will do, Naruto-kun," she said in exchange. She and I conversed about random topics for a couple of minutes until another familiar face entered through the back door. His skin was almost as pale as Hinata's, but he looked a little creepier than most teenagers with that kind of skin texture. His short, black hair was something I recognized as well.

Oh dear I don't think I can handle any more of these occurrences. I know exactly who this guy is. He stood in Pein's way, just after Hinata crashed on the ground. He stood valiantly, defending his pride and myself as Konoha shinobi, but eventually fell as well. The pale faced teenager approached me.

"Good morning, Sai," I greeted.

"Good morning... erm... who are you again?" he asked me.

"I'm sorry, my name is Uzumaki Naruto, a foreign exchange student from the west," I replied. The boy nodded.

"So... how do you know my name?" he asked. I pointed at a tag on his shirt. It read 'hello, my name is Sai.' The pale teen looked to it and nodded approvingly. Sai nodded at me as well and sat on his assigned seat, which was somewhere in the second row to the right. As the students started arriving, the tardy bell rang. I found it odd that our teacher wasn't here yet.

I started fiddling with my fingers in complete boredom and yet my peers all looked calm and collected, as if this was a frequent occurence. I then put two and two together. It's way passed the tardy bell, my teacher isn't here yet, my peers look like they're used to it. I pinched my hand to awaken me from my supposed slumber. If my deductions are correct then my teacher for this class is none other than...

"Good morning guys and I apologize for arriving late again. I seem to have gotten lost in the path of life," said that familiar looking silver-haired jou- I mean man. I rolled my eyes as I stared at his face. Even up to now he is covering his nose and mouth with some kind of black mask. I guess old habits just don't die, even when the person in question does. I held back my desire to shout at him for being late, just like I always used to. After he finished taking roll, I realize that my name was the only one that wasn't called. He looked to me, noticing what had happened as well.

"Well, it seems like we have a new student joining us today in this lovely path of Japanese literature," he said. I raised an eyebrow. Okay, now the universe makes sense again. Of course this would be a literature class, as this man loved to read novels in his spare time. I just hope it isn't about sex and porn either. I stood up from my seat and walked to the front of the class. I looked to my teacher.

"I am Hatake Kakashi. You may call me Hatake-sensei," he said as I nodded. I turned to the rest of the class, who all looked eager to meet me, namely the female side. I could swear I saw some hearts on some of their eyes. Hinata smiled at me and started blushing. Oh great, it's happening again. Like I said before, old habits just don't die.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. It's very nice to meet you all," I said for the second time today, bowing to all of them as I returned to my seat. No sooner than two minutes upon opening our literature books to start on today's lesson, a knock on the door interrupted us. Hatake-sensei turned his head as the door opened, revealing a very attractive young woman. If possible, my jaw dropped even lower, possibly crashing on the ground if it could. Standing right there was my former crush, the pink haired beauty of my dreams, Sakura-chan. Her hair fell down to her shoulders, the layered style looking as vibrant as ever. She walked inside and handed sensei a note. He scanned through it and looked my way.

"Uzumaki-san, you're being called to the principal's office," he said. A few "Oooohhhs" were heard from my peers. Hinata simply looked worriedly at me. I gave her a smile, silently telling her that there was nothing to be worried about. I know it's not good for a guy to worry a girl but I kind of like the feeling that someone is worrying about me. It makes me feel like I mean something in their hearts and lives. I stood from my seat and followed the pink haired young woman out of the class.

We walked silently along the halls of Kono High School. She's definitely as beautiful as I last saw her, the school uniform hugging her curves which could make any guy drool. As we walked in silence, apparently the girl beside me couldn't take it anymore. Sakura was never really the type who enjoyed the powerful gift of silence.

"I don't believe we have met before. My name is Haruno--"

"Sakura," I finished. I smiled at myself, catching her attention. But this time, I actually have a means of being able to defend myself.

"How did you know my name?" she asked. I nodded to her question but before I answered her question, I took another glance at her features. She was the next person to buy me some time to recover, right after Sai was murdered by Pein. It's funny how I'm meeting my old peers in chronological order according to their times of death. I sighed to myself. I suppose that's enough about the past. I do have a question to answer, after all.

"It's just that your hair looks like the color of cherry blossoms, that's all," I said. She nodded at me.

"Yes, everyone seems to say that about my hair. I was often teased because of it when I was younger. There aren't many people in this country with natural pink hair, you know. Of course, I don't get teased anymore, not for that reason anyway," she said. I smiled at her.

"I bet you were also teased because of your forehead, right?" I asked. I think I struck a nerve there, right when I said that. She narrowed her eyes at me, about to say something too, when I cut her off. "Don't worry though. They can tease you about your forehead all they want because you have something behind that forehead that they'll never have. You're an intelligent young woman, Haruno-san. Don't ask my how I know either, I just do. And of top of that..."

I smirked.

"You are beautiful. Believe it," I said as we arrived at the principal's building. Sakura was set in silence, the same uncomfortable one that we were in earlier. I really have to stop doing these things but it's so much fun. I know so much about these guys and yet they know nothing about me. When I opened the door to the principal's office, I saw a blond woman reading through some documents. She wore a much more professional looking business suit than some of the other adults that I've seen in this place. I guess the most noticeable thing in her outfit was the fact that her bust was showing a lot of unnecessary cleavage. I rolled my eyes at the sight. I really don't think I can handle this. I turned faced the woman as she looked up to me.

"Good morning, Tsunade-sama," I greeted, bowing to her. The blond nodded and shooed Sakura away with a flick of her wrist. Sakura nodded and exited through the door behind her. She turned back to face me.

"Uzumaki-san, Umino-sensei just came over a few minutes ago to tell me about your impressive performance in his class. I just have to say congratulations on impressing that man. Why don't we have a chat in the teacher's lounge at recess?"

"I would have to refuse on that one, baa-chan," I said, instantly regretting it. How did that slip out of my mouth? Was it reflex? I can only hope that she won't be too mad at me. I close my eyes in fear, readying myself for whatever she might lash out on me. Surprisingly though, I felt nothing. The woman just simply looked my way.

"Normally I would have pummeled you to the ground for saying that but I don't know, I think it's the way you said it that didn't sound so insulting. I don't know how you know about that little secret of mine that you'll have to keep to yourself or some punishment will be in order. Am I understood?" she asked. I nodded quickly. "Alright then, it's nice to meet you, Uzumaki-san. Now please return to your class."

"Hai, Tsunade-sama," I said as I bowed to her and walked out of the door. Just outside, Sakura was leaning against the wall. She saw me walk out of the room and pushed herself up from the wall. I smiled to her and made my way back to class.

"Wait, Uzumaki-san!" she called to me. I turned around to face her, wondering what she could want now.

"I don't mean to pry and I know you told me not to ask you how you knew but I'm very curious. How do you know that I teased about my forehead? Were you there when it happened?" she asked innocently. Her voice sounded really sad, as if she was reliving a terrible part of her life.

"I wasn't there, I'm sorry, Haruno-san. If I was there at the time, I would have knocked senseless, those who would dare mistreat you. You may have a bit of a temper and sometimes your rash decisions get to your head, but you're one of the strongest women I know, Haruno-san. Don't let what they say get to you. You're stronger than that, trust me," I said. I walked over to her and planted a kiss on her forehead. Okay I don't know what drove me to do that but it didn't feel as wrong as I thought it would, after I had done it.

Sakura placed her hand over the spot where my lips met her forehead. Without saying anything else. I turned around and made my way back to class, leaving a baffled pink haired girl. When I was out of her sight, I quickly made my way to the restroom. When I arrived, making sure that I was alone in there, I allowed my tears to flow from my eyes. I was holding them back when I kissed her forehead but I knew that they were threatening to come out.

This isn't fair. I know so much about them, yet they know nothing about me. I thought it would be fun earlier but it just hurts inside to know that my own friends don't know a single thing about me. Sure there are small occurences with Hinata, when she said that saying my name felt familiar to her, but cases like those just aren't enough for me. I let them all die in front of me because I wasn't strong enough to protect them. The stood up for me, defended me and their home until their dying breaths. I watched them die and could do nothing for them.

When my lips connected with Sakura's forehead, all those memories just came rushing to me, circling me like a raging typhoon. I want them to come back. I want to be with them again, laugh with them, eat with them, drink with them... I wanted to die with them. When my sobfest ended, I wiped myself up and left the restroom. As I walked back to my class, however, the bell rang again. Was I gone for that long? I picked up my books and walked to my locker. As I placed my books away and grabbed my wallet, I felt a tap on my shoulder.

It was Hinata.

"Hey, you were out of class the whole time. Did you get in trouble with the principal?" she asked worriedly. I shook my head.

"No. Hoka-" I stopped myself. I really have to control what comes out of my mouth. "I mean the principal just wanted to have a chat with me and boy did that take a long time! It was just about some unimportant things like introductions. I guess I failed to introduce myself to her during orientation."

"I understand. I guess I was worried for two reasons. When I heard that you were going to the principal's office, I had hoped that you didn't do anything wrong to catch her attention. Secondly, it's the way Haruno-san looked your way. I know I shouldn't say this, having just met you and all, but I felt a pang of... jealousy, when she looked your way," she said. Okay, that caught me by surprise, yet for some reason not so much either. Back in the past, Hinata must have known that I had feelings for Sakura, so she never said anything about her liking me. It only makes sense that she would say this now. Back then, she was full of stutters but this new Hinata doesn't stutter. I closed my locker door and walked with her.

"I'm flattered to know that you felt that way but you're right, we have only just met. I don't think it's right for either of us to be feeling that way yet," I said to myself. She nodded with a smile on her mouth as we made our way outside. Everyone had their own little groups of friends, except me. When we were still in the academy, Kiba, Chouji, Shikamaru, and I would hang out at random areas, just the four of us. But I doubt they recognize me now.

Hinata and I bought our snacks. I was about to walk away when she pulled me to her direction. She lead me to her group of friends, and I wasn't surprised who they were. It's them, all of them. All of the significant people in my age group from my shinobi days were there, some of which were giving me a questioning look. Shikamaru, Sakura, Tenten, and Sai looked to me for a second and then continued eating their snacks.

"Guys, this is Uzumaki Naruto, a foreign exchange student," said Hinata, introducing me to them. Yamanaka Ino, a girl with long blond hair, walked up to me. She tossed her juice carton in the trash can near us.

"My name is Yamanaka Ino. It's good to meet you, Uzumaki-san," she said. It only took her a second to realize that it was either her mouth that felt weird or the name that she stated that sounded weird. I could see it in her facial expression, it's a bit funny actually. "I... you... have we met? Your name sounds really familiar."

"You too, Ino-chan?" asked Hinata. Ino looked her way. "When I met him for the first time and said his name, I had that feeling too."

As the two began their conversation, I found myself leaning on the pole next to me. I can't believe my luck, they're all here and little by little, it looks like some of them are starting to realize what role I played in their past lives. I looked to one person in particular, the girl with the two buns on her head. Tenten is a master when it comes to handling weapons of any type and fashion. I want to test something and I know it's going to work. If this is Tenten's reincarnation, then she should be able to defend herself from what I'm about to do. Plus, this may show them all a bit about themselves that they don't even know.

I grabbed a pen from my pocket and quickly threw it at Tenten. Her reflexes kicking in, she caught the utencil between her index and middle finger. She narrowed her eyes and looked to her hand. It moved on its own. I smirked as she examined her hand, still holding my pen. One of her friends and good friend of mine with a bowl cut hairstyle, looked her way, getting up from his seat.

"Tenten, how did you do that? I did not even see you look in the direction of that thrown utencil and yet you caught it with ease," he said. Tenten continued to look at her hand in amazement.

"Lee... I don't know how I did that. My hand just moved on its own and caught the pen in this form," she said as she looked my way. Before she was about to speak, her second friend started lashing out at me. His long black hair swayed in the wind, and his sharply pale eyes tried to pierce through me. This is him alright, Hyuuga Neji, Hinata's cousin.

"What in the world did you do that for? You could have seriously hurt her. What were you thinking?" he asked. I smirked once more.

"Just by looking at someone, I can tell a good amount of background information about them. Like Tenten for example. I met her in my first class here. When I first saw her, her eyes told me that she secretly practices weaponry when no one is looking. She doesn't like being underestimated, especially by men. She wants to prove to the world that women are about as good at anything that men are, probably even better. Am I right, Tenten-san?" I asked, completely making the whole thing up about being able to know a bit about them. I couldn't take it anymore. I just wanted to tell them who I really am and who they really are but I doubt they'd believe me. This way, I can get them to realize a bit about themselves. Tenten nodded at me.

"You're right, I do like to practice weaponry, especially with long range types," she said. I nodded and looked to the boy with the bowl cut.

"And you, just by looking at your body structure, I can tell that you enjoy training during your spare time. You're also an excellent martial artist," I said. Lee nodded slowly. I then made my way around everyone else, showing them my "powers of critical analysis" and were all amazed by it. I didn't say too much as it may give too much of myself away, but enough to calm my nerves a little. Seeing them all at once like this is too much for me. After about a minute, they were all silent. Even Sasuke was a little surprised when I told him that his parents were dead and he was probably under the care of his older brother. I gave it a serious thought though. Could Itachi actually be a good guy in this era?

The rest of the day progressed as normal as it should. I ended up joining Sakura and Shino for my third class, then Ino, Sasuke, and Neji for my fourth class. For my fifth and sixth class, I shared it with Kankuro, Lee, Chouji, Temari, Kiba, and yes of course, Gaara himself. I was rather surprised that Gaara still had that rough voice on his throat. I had hoped that his scary voice would have changed but it's all good. Gaara ended up being a pretty decent person in this era. I guess it's because he died defending the life of his friend, me. He died without regrets or negative emotions in his life. He was cleansed from all that and so was given a new life with a kind and gentle heart.

As I made my way to my physical education class, after dressing up of course, I was no longer surprised at who my teacher was. Being a co-ed class, my teacher was a woman, and what a woman she was. She was Mitarashi Anko.

"Alright you maggots, today we'll be learning a thing or two about self defense. I hope you're ready to get knocked down because from now until next month, this is all we'll be doing," she said. There were a couple of groans from my peers, but only half of them. The other half, my friends and myself, had no such reaction. Neji, Lee, Sasuke, Kiba, and myself were the ones who were a bit excited. Tenten, Sakura, and Temari looked pretty ready as well. We were then paired up against the opposite sex. Apparently, Anko doesn't believe in same sex battles and I do too. Often in my travels, I was put up against female warriors and kunoichi. Shinobi and kunoichi are all the same to me. I was paired up against Tenten. She slipped into a fighting stance.

"You better not hold back, Uzumaki-san," she said as she charged at me. She threw the first punch, but I caught it easily. Rather than stopping her punch with my palm, I pushed her attack away and grabbed her wrist with the opposite hand. Having stopped her momentum, I pulled her towards me, her face nearing my elbow. She closed her eyes, waiting for the connection, but it never came, not in that sense anyway. I placed my other hand behind her neck and pushed her down. I kicked her shin to go the other way so that she spun forward and landed on the mat. I released her arm as she fell and simply looked to her. Tenten got up rather slowly and looked to me.

"Where did you learn to do that?" she asked me. I smiled at her.

"That's something you'll have to find out for yourself," I said as we continued our match. Every single one of her attacks, I dodged. I didn't even block them, I was way too fast for this kind of battle. As we fought though, I saw Anko whispering to Lee and Kiba, from the corner of my eye. When I knocked Tenten down again, both boys charged at me, but I'm ready for them. Kiba leaped above me but I was able to react fast enough. I raised my leg up and caught his arm with my foot. I swung him forward so that his body would clash with Lee. Both young men fell on the floor. My senses told me that more were coming from behind me and so I was ready.

Neji and Sasuke came from the side and from the back. Sasuke threw his punch at me, but I pushed his fist down, causing him to fall over. He flipped forward and landed on his feet, engaging against me in an all out martial arts battle. I stepped to the side and allowed Neji to join us as well. their attacks had some spirit in them and they definitely had the same style as their past lives, but they were sloppy and very slow. When they both punched at the same time, I circled my hands around their arms and pulled them back. I swung Sasuke over my body first, causing him to land on the soft mat below. Raising Neji up, I also swung him down, but was careful not to hit Sasuke. I heard claps from my peers as I bowed to them all.

"Not bad, new kid. Not bad at all," said Anko. I wasn't mad that she pinned them against me, it actually gave me a decent work out. I helped Neji and Sasuke up. Lee and Kiba were already on their feet when I got to them. Anko approached me, smiling at me.

"Interesting moves you've got there, kid. Do you have a martial arts background?" she asked. I returned the smile and shook my head, clearly lying to her face. If this was the old Anko, she would probably beat me to death for lying to her.

"I don't, sorry. Most of those were really done out of reflex in order to save my own life. I guess I just got lucky against them all," I said. I knew she wasn't buying it though, neither were my peers but they remained silent.

After our physical education class, we showered up and were dismissed to go home. Thankfully, today is Friday so there's no school for another two days. We all said our good byes to each other and went our own separate ways. I unchained my motorcycle and was about to put my helmet on, when I heard a call from behind me. I turned to see who it was but already had a pretty good idea of the identity as I recognized her voice. It was Ino. I wonder what she wants. When she neared me, she started panting a bit, showing the obvious fact that she was running from wherever she was, just to catch me before I left. She raised her blond head to face me.

"Uzumaki-san. I'm happy that I was able to catch up to you. I want to ask you for a favor," she said.

"What's up?" I asked in turn.

"Well, my dad is a little preoccupied with a business trip and he's out of town. I took a bus to get to school and have been doing so for the past few days but I don't feel comfortable around so many people especially with what I'm wearing. This school's uniform really puts us women at a disadvantage," she said, blushing at me. I raised my eyebrow. These new reincarnations are truly different from who they were in their past lives, which was to be expected. Their past lives were trained in the shinobi arts and can handle a few mere perverts or people who couldn't keep their hands to themselves.

"And I suppose you're asking me for a ride home?" I asked. She looked away and nodded slowly. I crossed my arms over my chest, thinking about it. This would be a good way for me to bond with another of my friends so I suppose it's not such a bad idea. "I guess I could. But my motorcycle is a bit of a one-seater so you might find it a little uncomfortable."

"I don't mind at all. Thank you so much, Uzumaki-san!" she said, throwing herself at me. When she pulled away, I placed myself on the seat first, followed by her. I placed my backpack in front of me so that she would have some room for herself. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Ino's curves and excellent physical condition added to that. As we rode off, Ino placed her arms around my waist.

"It's not as cramped in here as I thought it would be," said Ino.

"That's because of your curvy and slender figure, Yamanaka-san. You truly have an angelic appearance," I said. I don't know where I get off saying these kinds of things. I bet she would have slapped me if I said that to her, had we been in the passed. Through my jacket, I felt Ino's face warm up.

"Um... thank you, Uzumaki-san," she said. The rest of our ride was silent until she told me that I passed her house. She hopped off of my motorcycle and bowed to me.

"Thanks again, Uzumaki-san. I really appreciate this," she said as she smiled at me, turning around to enter her house. I waved my good bye to her as I proceeded home. This wasn't such a bad day after all. I'm kind of disappointed that there won't be school tomorrow or the day after. I really want to get to know these people again, in a sense.

__________________________________________________

This is just an experimental story. I'm not sure how far this will go, as I've only thought of the first chapter during my first week of school. Although there was a bit of combat action in this chapter, there won't be much of it in the story. I'm going to try to base it around the romance/drama field. As for pairings, I don't know how that's going to turn out either. I will decide on pairings eventually though. Or maybe I could write a harem. I've always wanted to write one of those. Tell me what you guys think about it.

Ja ne.


	2. Chapter 2

**Voice of the Wanderer  
**

**Naruto Fanfiction**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a single shred of Naruto or anything from LIFEHOUSE.  
**

**Chapter 2: First Time  
**

__________________________________________________

I sat on my seat looking up at my ceiling. I ran through my homework quickly so I don't have to worry about it for the rest of the weekend. I remember back in the academy days when I would always leave my homework up until the last minute, sometimes not even bothering to do it. I've grown since those days, I'm not that child anymore, but now I kind of wish I was. Nothing was really all that complicated in those days, like they are now. I shook my head out of those thoughts. I really have to stop thinking about the past. This is my life now, and I have to live it to my fullest.

I stood from my seat and grabbed my jacket. I was no longer wearing my school uniform but was now in casuals. A red t-shirt, a black jacket, and a pair of blue jeans. I slipped into my shoes and decided to go out for a walk. I need to clear my head. I stepped out of my house and locked the door before leaving the place. I have no idea where I'm going, as long as I go somewhere. My feet took me to the city. I guess it would be nice to go around the place to familiarize myself with my surroundings. I've seen taller buildings before, back in America. What was the place called? Los Angeles?

I nodded at that as I continued sight-seeing. Where my feet were taking me now, I have no idea, not that I particularly care either. There were vehicles going in and out of the streets, people minding their own business, creating more and more of a commotion for people who prefer a bit of peace and quiet. I remember when I first saw a car. I was astonished that it was able to move as fast as I do but it had a lot more endurance than I do or will probably ever have. The next place my legs took me was some kind of bar. It was a special bar where teenagers can hang out in. There's no liquor or any sort being served to minors so it would be a safe place.

I tried liquor once, when I was a little older, wondering what baa-chan and the other adults saw in such a foul tasting drink. It tasted terrible and I never drank it since. This bar is pretty close to school so I figured hanging out here wouldn't be so bad. There were a few people around and some music being played on stage. There was also a microphone there for anyone who wanted to do a bit of karaoke or burn a bit of their time, doing something fun. I sat down on a stool and ordered a canned soda. I actually found a taste for these carbonated drinks, during my travels in the west. It's pretty popular among them. As time flew by, it also became popular here in Japan.

As I began to swallow the contents of my can, my eyes wandered to a group of very familiar girls. I squinted my eyes at them and saw that they were my classmates from school. Temari, Tenten, Sakura, Hinata, and Ino, were all there. I glanced at my watch. It was about a quarter to four. That means they've been here for about two hours, maybe less. Maybe one of them picked Ino up because I'm sure I dropped her off at her house. I shrugged my shoulders and decided to let them have their time together. Before I left though, I heard one of them call for me. I recognize it as Ino's voice. I turned around and smiled at them sheepishly.

"Is that you, Uzumaki-san?" she asked. I nodded. "Come here and join us!"

"Um, yeah. Alright," I replied as I slowly walked to them. Sakura scooted over so I could sit next to her. They were talking about girl business. Even through my travels, I still don't understand girls and why they do what they do. Temari looked my way, gulping a bit of her orange juice. My lips were still on the soda can as my eyes met hers as well.

"Hey, why don't you sing something in that karaoke? It would be nice to see if you can sing as well as you can fight," she said. My shoulders fell on that request. Sure I'm not a bad singer but that doesn't mean I like doing it. I mostly only sing in the shower, singing through whatever the radio has for me. I'm going to try to get myself out of this situation, although I don't know if that will be entirely possible. Then again, this might be a chance to bond with them but still, why do I have to sing?

"I'm sorry, I don't have a very good voice for singing. I'd only end up embarrass myself," I said, trying to escape from their clutches. Damn feet, why did you have to take me here of all places? Sakura giggled at me. Why don't I like that giggle?

"Don't worry about it, Uzumaki-san. Get up there and sing your heart out. Don't worry about embarrassing yourself because we're all friends here. If we laugh, it's not at you," she said. Yeah, like that helps my confidence a whole lot. Hinata looked to me, finishing her vanilla shake.

"Yes Naruto-kun, Sakura-san is right. And also, singing is a good way to express your emotions. I bet you have a bit of them bottled up inside you. Release it now, don't let it pile up inside your heart or it will explode at the worst time setting possible," Hinata added with her serene voice. I sighed again. She's right though. I do have a lot of emotions that I need to vent out. Maybe this is exactly what I needed after 500 years. I have to release these emotions or they'll end up eating me from the inside. I figured, why the hell not, right? I stood up from my seat and looked to the karaoke. Just then, something popped inside my head. I don't know how to work that contraption.

"How do I get the music to work?" I asked them, hoping they could answer my plight.

"Easy. All you have to do is go to the computer over there and type the song you want to sing. Its database is full of hundreds upon thousands of songs to choose from. You can also adjust the artist's voice to sing for you or not. But since you'll be the one singing, you'll want to remove the artist's voice, so that you only have the melody to aid you," said Ino. I nodded at her explanation. I walked over to the stage, feeling many pairs of eyes on me. It wasn't just them who were watching me. The other customers who were talking earlier, became silent. Talk about nervewracking... man. I scrolled through the archives of the computer and found a song that I actually know. Since Ino was the one to help me out with this thing, I think this should be for her. Before I started playing the song, I also saw a guitar near the computer. That's perfect! I took the instrument and pressed the play button.

"This song is for my new friend, Ino, for helping me in more ways than one," I said as I stood in front of the microphone. As the music began to play, my fingers started strumming the guitar. I took in a deep breath and allowed the lyrics to flow from my heart.

_We're both looking for something, we've been afraid to find._

_It's easier to be broken, it's easier to hide_.

My fingers continued to strum the guitar as my thoughts returned to the day when she and I first met. It wasn't a very lively meeting but one nonetheless. I'm glad to have known her. I'm glad to have been her friend. We weren't friends at first but I'm glad to have her memory encrypted in my heart. We weren't very close but the feeling is all the same. We became closer until she became one of the many who were taken from me.

_Looking at you, holding my breath_

_For, once in my life, I'm scared to death_

_I'm taking a chance, letting you inside._

I looked to her as I sang these lyrics. Her face was flushed, slightly glowing a little red. She seemed speechless that I was even singing a song for her. Ino is actually one of the most important women in my life. She was then, she is now. I pumped in some more chakra into my fingers, as well as my lungs. I moved closer to the microphone, getting ready to raise my voice for the chorus of the song.

_I'm feeling alive, all over again_

_As deep as the sky under my skin_

_Like, being in love, she said, for the first time._

_Maybe I'm wrong, I'm feeling right_

_Where I belong, with you tonight_

_Like, being in love, to feel for the first time._

I removed my gaze from Ino, realizing that my eyes were locked into hers while I sang that chorus. Slowly but surely, I'm starting to lose all of these negative emotions. Hinata and Sakura were right. Maybe I'll sing them a song too, to thank them for what they did for me, to thank their past lives for what they've done for me. But for now, it's me and Ino. Those two can wait their turn.

_The world that I see inside you,_

_Waiting to come to life._

_Waking me up to dreaming,_

_Reality in your eyes._

Her friendship, no all of theirs, is my world. When I lost them, I felt like my world had shattered, literally. It wasn't just them though. The others, baa-chan, my teachers, all fell with them. The very village that I was born into, raised to love and protect, was the thing that housed and protected me. I see the world in her, I saw the world in them all. They were my world, but this is the reality yet still, she is my world. I strummed my guitar some more, softening my voice a little, only to explode later on.

_Looking at you, holding my breath_

_For, once in my life, I'm scared to death_

_I'm taking a chance, letting you inside._

I looked at my fingers, which were apparently moving on their own. Looks like those guitar lessons in America really paid off. I placed my mouth near the microphone again, my eyes locking with the blond beauty once more. She looked so entranced within the song, just as I did when I first listened to it, a few years ago. This is a fairly old song, but I still like it.

_I'm feeling alive, all over again_

_As deep as the sky under my skin_

_Like, being in love, she said, for the first time._

_Maybe I'm wrong, I'm feeling right_

_Where I belong, with you tonight_

_Like, being in love, to feel for the first time._

This time however, I kept my gaze on hers. Her occassional blinking, every few seconds was the only thing that told me that she was still breathing. That's good, at least I haven't killed her with my terrible voice. I probably suck so hard right now. I looked to the other customers, as I continued strumming my instrument. They looked to be entranced as well. Do I really suck that bad? Maybe they're waiting until the end of the song to boo me. Well, at least they're being a good crowd. I looked to Ino again, ready to sing the next verse.

_We're crashing,_

_ Into the unknown._

_We're lost in this,_

_But it feels like home._

It really does feel like home. I never thought I'd see them again after their lives ended and mine continued. But I guess the higher deities up there were watching my suffering and decided to cut me some slack. They were my home, when they were alive. When they left me, my home crashed into the unknown. I was so lost back then. But now, they are here again. Their presence feels like I'm home again.

_I'm feeling alive, all over again_

_As deep as the sky under my skin_

_Like, being in love, she said, for the first time._

_Maybe I'm wrong, I'm feeling right_

_Where I belong, with you tonight_

_Like, being in love, to feel for the first time._

I repeated the last line twice, after initially stating it the first time. As I felt the song ending, I slowed my strumming to a halt. I smiled at the song, it always brought me good memories of them and that's something I'm taking to my grave. I bowed to the crowd, expecting them to throw cabbages at me but I got a different reaction. They were all cheering for me. What I really that good? I didn't think I was that good. I looked to my watch, I think it's time to get going home. I placed the guitar next to the computer again and walked back to my friends. They were all cheering for me, except for Ino. She just kept looking at me, tears welling up in her eyes. Before I could react any further, she lunged herself at me, enveloping me in her tight, yet soft embrace. I hugged her back, smiling through it all.

"Uzumaki-san... I don't know what to say," she said as she pulled her head from my chest. There were a bit of tears on my shirt, courtesy of the blond young woman. My red shirt now had stains but it's alright, it will vanish later on. I removed my arms from her and wiped her hot tears from her face, using my hands. When that was done, I looked deep into her ocean blue eyes. They were like mine but more beautiful, more lively, and more subtle.

"Then don't say anything," I replied as I planted a soft kiss on her cheek. The blond was stunned at my sudden reaction. I got one last good look at her before I walked out of the door. On my way out, I saw several high school students from Kono high. They seemed to be watching from the windows. When they saw me, I heard several whispers coming in my direction. I nodded at that... interesting... and walked away, back to my house. I wonder if singing that song was really a good idea. My years of traveling have taught me a lot about the high school students these days and their gossip. I wonder if I'll make the front page on Monday...

__________________________________________________

As the weekend passed, I was able to bond with my friends a bit more. Kiba invited me to his house, along with Shikamaru, and Chouji. It felt like the academy days all over again. It was us four, all the time. I remember when we would always be messing around, skipping out on Iruka-sensei's lectures, having the time of our lives. Why did those days have to end? Those days were one of the best times of my life and wouldn't have traded them for anything. Sure enough, Kiba has a white dog named Akamaru and man was he big! We hung out, just us, and even went to the mall, caught a movie, snuck inside another one, just like the good old days.

I hopped off of my motorcycle and chained it to them same place as I did last week. I pulled my schedule list out and saw that Mondays and Wednesdays are special days. On those days, we only have three classes, instead of six. Tuesdays and Thursdays are also special, as we have the other three classes that we don't have on Mondays and Wednesdays. The sucky part is, we have physical education on every one of those days. I mean, it's not that bad, but you'd think we could do something more enjoyable than self defense. I've been doing it my whole life.

As I lugged my backpack over my shoulder, my helmet on my other hand, I passed through the hallways that led to my locker. I looked around, hearing whispers that were all directed at me. Great... I saw this coming. If this is about the the song last week in that bar, it's just a song. Sure there were some meanings to it but it's not like I can change the lyrics without getting sued by the artists, right? I'd rather not get into that kind of predicament. Maybe going in there wasn't such a good idea after all. As I placed my helmet away, I also placed my backpack away, pulling the necessary materials out for my first class of the day.

When I closed my locker door, I saw Ino there, right next to me. Her presence probably would have scared me to death but I felt essence nearing me. I do have shinobi training after all. The people of this era all have chakra, they just don't know how to use it. Maybe I'll teach my friends some day, but the age of shinobi is over and I think it should remain that way. I smiled at the girl, wondering what she was doing here.

"Good morning Yamanaka-san, did you have a good weekend?" I asked. Ino bit her lip.

"Will you take a walk with me, Uzumaki-san?" she asked. "Classes don't start for another half hour, so we have a bit of time."

"Alright, sure," I said as I nodded. The both of us walked out of the building together. Ugh, it's happening again... I can feel these high schoolers' eyes on me. Don't they have better things to do than update their latest gossip? Seriously, it really does get annoying. So this is what it feels like to be popular. I hate this feeling. I used to love getting attention, but not this way. Now I know how Sasuke felt when he had his own fanclub, back in the academy. It was silent between Ino and I for a few minutes, until she stopped walking. We arrived at some lunch tables and benches. She sat on the bench and urged me to sit next to her.

"Uzumaki-san, I was just thinking about some things over the weekend, regarding that song that you sang for me in the bar," she said. I sighed softly, so that she wouldn't notice. I knew it was going to be about this. What am I going to say though? I meant all those words but only in the form of that song. I don't want to hurt her in any way but I think I'm starting to foresee some events unfolding.

"A penny for your thoughts, Yamanaka-san?" I said. Ino nodded.

"I was thinking... did you mean those things that you said about me? Is that how you really feel about me?" she asked. Damn it! I don't want to hurt her by denying her. If there's anything my perverted hermit of a sensei taught me about women, is that their emotions are very fragile. Women are strong, mentally and physically, but emotionally? They're a little sof t in that area, just as some guys are but more generally, women. I suppose I can pretend, but wouldn't I just be lying to myself? That really is stupid but then again, what's the worst that could happen? She's pretty and nice to be around with.

"Yes Yamanaka-san, I meant every word," I said, looking deep into her sapphire-like eyes. Those orbs truly are a sight to see. Ino nodded and cupped my cheek. Oh no, what in the world is she doing now? Ero-sennin didn't cover this part in his lessons with women. Her body moved closer to mine, her face coming closer and closer. Suddenly, I felt my eyes closing. Wait, why are my eyes closing? I can't seem to keep them open. Am I falling asleep? Oh no, I'm not falling asleep, I'm getting my first kiss! Not good, not good... oh... so good. My lips finally connected with hers. They're so soft and creamy. I wonder if this is how Ino's lips would have felt, back in her past life. My arms circled around her waist, as hers went around my neck. If this is what a kiss feels like, I don't want it to end, but sadly, it did.

"I guess Yamanaka-san is now out of order, is it?" I asked. She nodded.

"I'll have to stop calling you Uzumaki-san too," she said, smiling softly. Man, I really love the feeling of her waist on my hands. I always did think that Ino was the hottest in our age group, back then. Sakura was just pretty, I guess. She mostly had the athletic build. Hinata, I believe was beautiful. Tenten also had an athletic build, similar to Sakura. Temari looked slightly athletic but also a bit sexy. Ino was just plain sexy. Wait, back up a minute. Did I just think that? Did I just think Ino is sexy? Well, she actually is but seriously, I should have more control over my emotions. Oh well, what's done is done. I guess Ino is my new girlfriend. I leaned my head on her forehead, feeling her warm breath against my lips. I looked down at her lips, feeling the urge to kiss it again, and so I did.

I wrapped my arms a little tighter, pulling her as close as possible to me. I didn't expect us to start doing this so soon, especially after just one song. Who knew a single song could affect the heart of a girl so easily? But this presents another problem. I don't know how to be a good boyfriend. I've never had a girlfriend in Konohagakure and I don't have any experience in this particular field. I bet she has a lot of experience though. It's not like there are that many wars going around in this world, or rather, this era. Sure there are some, but it's nothing like the shinobi wars back in the past. People have short lifespans, back there. Most die in the field of battle rather than naturally.

"Ino-chan..." I trailed off. A small grin crept to her lips.

"Yes, Naruto-kun?" she asked.

"Nothing, just getting used to your new name," I said. Ino rolled her eyes at me. By now, there were so many people around us. Come on guys, it's not like we're that interesting! I just wanted to shout at them all, but it would ruin our moment together. I don't want to ruin these precious minutes that we're sharing together. Her warm breath is so intoxicating. I just want to stay like this. "I feel like kissing you again. Your lips are really soft and minty flavored."

"Then go ahead, Naruto-kun. My lips are yours to claim," she said.

"Is that all I get?" I asked.

"For now, yes. Maybe if you behave, you'll slowly get a bit more and more," she said. Feisty and a bit commanding. Not bad qualities in my first girlfriend. I think I'm actually going to like this whole relationship thing. I've had close friendships before, but nothing beyond that. I wonder if this is actually going to work. My first feelings were for Sakura, then Hinata, then now Ino? What an interesting turn of events. I'm going to have to look over some books about being a good boyfriend, if any exist. I bet Kiba knows a thing or two about being a good boyfriend. He always did seem like the player type but in this era, he may not be such a person.

"By the way, Naruto-kun, would you like to come by my house after school? No one is home and it will just be you and me. I think this will be a good opportunity for both of us to get to know each other and get a little closer," she said, jerking my thoughts back to the present. I thought about it. That's not such a bad idea. As long as her parents aren't going to be home, I don't see any harm to that. When I finished thinking about it all, I decided to go with her. I looked to her and nodded, bringing a smile to her face. I just hope her parents don't walk in on us doing something that they don't like. They don't know me and I bet they'll rip my head off, should they see my hands anywhere on their daugther. We were about to continue when the school bell rang.

"Damn, and here I thought I could taste your lips a bit longer," I said. Oh dear, am I really saying these things? I guess when you have a very attractive girl in front of you, you start saying weird things, especially when said girl if your girlfriend. I never had trouble controlling my hormones before, but that's probably because I wasn't very interested in girls back then. Sure there were those random flings with Sakura, but they never got anywhere. Our shinobi lives got in our way and we never went anywhere with our relationship, not that we really had anything passed friendship. I picked up my books, as well as hers, and walked her to her class.

__________________________________________________

"Oh my god, did you hear? Uzumaki and Yamanaka are together!"

"Yeah I know, they look so cute together!"

"Seriously, right? You don't get many blonds here in Japan. They're a perfect match!"

"Are you kidding me? Uzumaki-kun is too hot for her. He deserves someone better!"

"Nah, it's the other way around. Yamanaka-chan should have someone else."

"You're crazy."

"No, you are."

"I am not!"

"Are too!"

That's all I've been hearing since Ino and I walked into the building. What's with this freaking gossip?! Honestly, I wish people would have something better to focus their attention on. What happened to reading, writing, having fun in class... did I just say that? I never had any real fun in class, but that's because I was a little stupid when I was a kid. I'm older now, a little more serious in my studies. I suppose I can't blame them for what they're going through. But even when I was younger, I didn't bother to join these morons with their gossips with Sasuke or some other chick. I minded my own business and it's a bit of a sickening thought to hear those things come out of their mouths. I really should give Sasuke some credit, when I see him in the afterlife. It must have taken him a lot of control to not burn them all into a crisp with his fire jutsus.

When I arrived in class, some of the students stared at me for a few seconds. Hinata was already there, talking with some girls whom I didn't recognize. Sai was in the corner, drawing and painting some random new art. At least he's minding his own business. Right as I placed my bag on the table, Hinata turned to face me, a bit ecstatic to see me. Her face lit up so bright that I could probably use her face as a lamp. She clasped her hands together and leaned closer to me. Okay, way too close. I wouldn't have minded if I didn't have a girlfriend but no, this is WAY too close! People will start making up some lame gossips again. I pulled my head away a few distances.

"Good morning, Hinata-chan," I greeted with my usual smile.

"Is it true, Naruto-kun? Tell me it's true and that it's not just a rumor. Are you really dating Ino-chan?" she asked. I cocked up an eyebrow. The Hinata of the past would have been heart broken if she learned about this. But I guess since we just met a few days ago, she didn't really develop any feelings for me. I wonder though, would she be my girlfriend now if I sang that song for her? It had the desired effect on Ino, but I doubt it would be the same for Hinata. Well, maybe it would, but she seems too timid to tell anyone how she feels. I then remembered that I had a question to answer. I nodded at her.

"Yes Hinata-chan, it's true. Ino and I are dating," I answered. For a second there I could have sworn that I saw her face falter a bit, but it was quickly masked with a happy expression. Is it me or did I just see a tinge of jealousy in her face? That can't be right, why are these girls gaining feelings for me so quickly? I really don't understand how the female mind works. Even now, at this new era, Hinata still has feelings for me? I hope this doesn't hinder our friendship. I guess I never worried about it before because I had no one to make jealous. This is my first relationship after all. It's funny to see that in 500 years, this is the first time I'm feeling this kind of thing.

"That's good. I'm happy for you both. I hope you and Ino have the happiest relationship," she said as she seated herself down. If there's one useful thing that Ero-sennin taught me during our travels together, it's how to read a woman's body language. Hinata's face faltered earlier, even for just a few microseconds. And now, with her odd choice of words, I'm able to come down to a dreadful conclusion. Hinata had feelings for me and I didn't know until now. So much for being skilled in reading a woman. I wanted to thank her for saving my life in the past but then I have to consider something else. Ino saved my life too, so that can't be a viable reason. I shrugged my shoulders and sat down as Hatake-sensei arrived.

When lunch time came around, I made sure that I was the one beside Ino's locker this time. I greeted her as we walked outside. I'd have to say though, this relationship thing is turning out to be kind of fun. I've never experienced this before and I'm liking it now. During lunch, we talked about nothing in particular. I grabbed a french fry from my tray but found that I couldn't pull it. When I looked down at it, I saw Ino's fingers on the other side of the fry. Just then, I thought of something. I raised the fry to my mouth and placed it inside. I moved closer to her, pushing the other end of the fry into her mouth. She giggled at that. We consumed the fry and our lips met once more.

"Uzumaki-san, that was so cute!" said Tenten.

"The fry trick?" asked Kiba, not at all surprised. "That goes hand in hand with the spaghetti trick. Both of those are really old fashioned."

"Oh shut up, Kiba. That was really sweet," said Sakura. Kiba shrugged his shoulders in an aloof manner. When Ino and I pulled away, she leaned on my shoulder as I attempted to finish the rest of my cheese burger. Who knew they served these things in Japan? I think these originated from the west. How it got here is beyond me but I'm glad for it. Ino rested her head on my lap, taking in all the warmth that I stored on my legs. Just as I was about to take another bite from my burger, Ino grabbed it quickly and took a large bite off of it. My jaw fell down. For someone so sexy, I didn't think her bite would be that huge. I really have to stop being so judgmental. Ino placed the burger back inside my mouth and chuckled.

"Careful there, blondie," said Temari, swallowing her orange chicken. "That cheese burger will go straight to your thighs."

"What was that?!" my girlfriend shouted, arising from my lap quickly. Ino and Temari became engaged in a one on one verbal battle. I laughed through it all. I miss these times, hanging out with my friends, having fun with them. I've been missing this for so long that it almost feels like a new feeling to me. For so long, I've been alone and I thought it would be alright that way. But I like this feeling better. It feels... nice. The bell rang several minutes later. I walked Ino to her class and her handed her books to her. We have this class together but I forgot my books and decided to get them. I wonder if she'll do that for me one time. Or maybe it doesn't work like that in the dating community? Probably not, but it's a nice thought.

My next class is math with Sarutobi Asuma. As it turns out, the man who resembled the third Hokage was the former principal of this school, but he passed away about a year ago. Because of that and to honor his name, his son started teaching in this school. We don't refer to him Asuma as Sarutobi-sensei, as that title reminds us too much of the old man. Instead, we simply refer to him as Asuma-sensei. It's better that way and much simpler, and much less confusing. When I arrived into that class, I sat in front of Ino. Neji was somewhere in the front row as well, but Sasuke was somewhere in the back. I really hope Sasuke isn't as much of an ass hole now, as he was back then. When Asuma-sensei arrived, class had begun.

"Sensei, I don't think you're allowed to smoke inside this room," Neji pointed out. I gave out a small laugh that was private only to myself. How could this man not know that? And why is he still smoking? Maybe shinobi could do it since their life expectancy is shorter than normal people, but Asuma-sensei is just that, a normal person. He should know that he's slowly killing himself if he doesn't quit now. Asuma nodded and walked to the window. He opened it and blew on the tip of the cigarette. He then drenched it with some water from his bottle. He tossed the death stick into his trash can.

"Thank you for pointing that out, Hyuuga-san. I would have easily forgotten. Anyway, I believe it's time to start," he said as he wrote some equations on the board. I doubt that many of the students were paying attention. I took my cell phone out and used the front as a mirror to see what was happening behind me. A lot of the students were softly chattering with each other, some were texting with their cell phones, and others were asleep. I guess I can't blame them, math really is boring and lame, but I know it nonetheless. The rest of the class was spent with people passing some notes around and Asuma-sensei catching them. It was quite entertaining, actually. When we were dismissed from class, I made my way out of the class and straight to my locker to put my things away and get ready for some P.E.

Ino and I walked to the gymnasium together, but walked to our respective changing rooms with our own genders. We filed up in line outside, in our gym clothing. An adult came by and said that Mitarashi-san wouldn't be coming today, as she had attended a wedding, out of town. We thought we wouldn't have to attend this class, but our substitute teacher came around, carrying his clip board on one arm. My eyes narrowed at the man, trying to get a better look at him. That white hair, those broad shoulders, those red streaks on his face. There's no mistaking it. It's him... it's...

"Sorry I'm late, class. I was just informed a few minutes ago that Mitarashi-sensei isn't able to make it today. By the way, you may all refer to me as Jiraya-sensei," he said, glancing at his clip board to take attendance. Ero-sennin is my substitute teacher?! What the hell?! If he starts rambling on and on about women, I'm going to knock him out of this world. After he finished taking roll, we made our way outside to play a little game of soccer. It's nice to not be doing so much martial arts, like Anko keeps ranting on about. When teams were chosen, everyone had been placed in teams of five. The thing is, it was boys against girls. I guess Jiraya doesn't like the whole co-ed thing, except maybe in hot tubs, I bet.

Kiba, Neji, Lee, Shikamaru, and I, were in the same group. On the opposing side was Hinata, Tenten, Sakura, Temari, and Ino. Well this is nice, yet not so nice. I was kind of hoping that Sasuke would be in my team, instead of that lazy ass Shikamaru. Then again, we could use him to come up of a good strategy for us. And this is a good thing too because according to memory, Temari is a very good strategist, at least in the shinobi era. Maybe these two geniuses would be able to clash brains. Shikamaru gathered us around in order to explain his plan to us. I was a little surprised though. Shikamaru already came up with a plan? That's kind of amazing!

"Alright then, if we play this right, I think we can win. Since I'm not the one with the most physical stamina, I'm going to stay back and be goalie. I may not have much endurance but I do have quick reflexes. Anyway, here's how the plan goes. With his great speed, I want Lee to be in front of the group. It will only be you out there, playing for all of us. Lee's footwork is better than that of any of us, so he will be the one to steal the ball from them, should they manage to get it," he said. The bowl cut boy nodded. "Inuzuka, because your senses are greater than all of ours, you'll be watching Lee's back from anyone around him, should he get the ball. Hyuuga, your eyes are as good as Inuzuka's, maybe even better. I want you to stay with him, should anything slip through his senses."

"Right, so, what about me?" I asked. I feel like I've been left out of the loop. Shikamaru turned my way.

"You will help defend the goalie, me. Unfortunately Uzumaki, I don't know much about your abilities and therefore cannot give you a position. Who knows though, maybe in this game I'll be able to learn about your abilities and will be able to put you in a better position, next time," he said. I rolled my eyes at that but I know he's right. It would be dangerous if I played with them if they don't know what I'm capable of. If they don't know my strengths or weaknesses, I'll just be a hindrance to them all. At least this way, my job is pretty solid. I am in charge of not allowing the ball to reach Shikamaru, or the goal.

When our strategy was ready and solid, Lee, Neji, and Kiba walked to the center with Sakura, Tenten, Hinata, and Ino. Jiraya raised the ball to them and blew on his whistle. When he finished with his whistle, he tossed the ball up in the air and ran out of the field. Sakura re-enforced her hands by putting them on top of each other. Tenten stood on them and was sent to the air by Sakura. When she was in the air, she kicked the ball hard, causing it to land somewhere near our goalie. I narrowed my eyes as Ino rushed to the ball and made her way to us. I crossed my arms over my chest. That was indeed a good start, I didn't know they're allowed to do that. I've seen my share of soccer games in America, even Brazil, but I've never seen a start like this. Maybe they have different rules here.

Lee darted at Ino, Kiba and Neji beside him. Because he was faster than them, he was able to make quite a distance from them. Ino saw that he was catching up to her and nodded to Hinata, who was right beside her. Ino placed both of her feet on both sides of the ball, stopping abruptly. The momentum sent her body forward, catapulting the ball into the air. She slammed her hands on the ground to keep her from falling over and stiffened her legs and feet. Hinata jumped on her feet and jumped from there, rising to the air. She spun diagonally and crashed her instep with the soccer ball, causing it to fly towards Shikamaru. My jaw dropped as the ball went straight passed me. Shikamaru jumped for it but it was no good. It passed him quickly and went into the net, scoring them a point. Ino and Hinata smiled at each other as they returned to their team.

"That was a very nice shot, well executed too," I said out loud but meant for myself. Lee, Neji, and Kiba were all as surprised as I was. Shikamaru slapped his forehead with his hand. He picked up the ball and motioned for us to return to him.

"Okay, we just got royally screwed back there," he said. The rest of us nodded. "Alright, new plan. Lee, I want you to--"

"No, let me take over from here," I said. I refuse to lose to girls, not being sexist or anything. Besides, I'd end up looking bad in front of my girlfriend and her friends if I lost here and now, especially when today is the first day of our being together. Although she's my girlfriend and they are my friends, I refused to get rocked today. My teammates gawked at me, disbelieving what I had just said. I bent our heads down so that no one would hear of our plans. I whispered everything that was on my mind. There were a bit of "what the hell?" and "are you serious?" comments that came from them but I was dead serious about it all. When I finished explaining to them, they nodded. Shikamaru waited for us to run forward a bit before taking the ball in his hands and kicked it forward, looking hopeful about my plan.

As the ball soared into the air, the opposing team did exactly as I thought they would. Everyone but Temari charged in. Sakura raised her knee and bounced the ball up. But something slipped off of my calculations. Tenten and Hinata grabbed Ino, spinning her round and round. When the ball came down, the two girls released their blond teammate, causing her to dash down the ground at impressive speed. She leaped into the air and kicked the ball as it came, heading straight for us. Alright, this isn't what I had in mind, but I'm going to have to improvise. These girls really are giving me a bit of a challenge, just the way I like it. I turned to Kiba, who seemed to be waiting for my call. When the ball was close enough, I shouted.

"Kiba, now!" the boy nodded and intercepted the ball, raising his knee to stop its flight. Neji took that as a signal to kick it to a diagonal-forward direction. Lee, who was waiting at the exact place I told him, caught the ball in his feet and began making his way to the girls. Kiba and Neji remained beside him, preventing the girls from taking the ball. Good, good! Things are going according to plan. When Lee neared them, he kicked the ball up and jumped on Neji's back, aiming for a diagonal shot to Temari's net. I ran to them, it's just about my turn to get things going. But once again, they did something I didn't expect. Sakura somersaulted up and kicked the ball even higher, causing Lee to miss.

"Oh no..." I said as Lee fell on the ground, his momentum faded, and Neji as well, from the force that Lee used to jump off of him. Kiba was about to take the ball as it descended, but was blocked by Hinata, Sakura, and Ino. Tenten stood on her hands and caught the ball between her feet. Temari darted from her position and kicked the stationary ball, causing it to go way passed me. I was already several yards across the half point of the field when it passed me. I turned back, running after it, but it was going way too fast. Alright then, since they were playing dirty, I'm going to do that too. I pushed some chakra to my feet, catching up to the ball. Everyone who was watching, couldn't believe how fast I was going.

I eventually passed the ball and jumped to Shikamaru. He spun me in a circle and tossed me to the ball. I reeled my foot back and slammed it on the ball, causing it to go to the opposite direction, flying straight and going at least 30-35 mph. The girls were already passed the half mark of the field, when my foot connected with the ball. As it traveled, I ran behind it. Tenten came from my side but I zipped to the left. Ino came from my right, but I zipped to the left. Sakura came from up top, throwing herself at me, while Hinata came from below. I jumped in the middle, narrowly escaping them both and flipped in the air, still running behind the ball. Temari looked ready to catch the ball, but this time, I'm the one who's prepared.

"Neji, Lee, go!" The two nodded as they reacted. Lee dashed in front of Temari, being the faster one and all. Temari was distracted for a second and that gave Neji just enough time to jump to the ball and kick it forward. When Lee passed by her, the female goalie looked around for the ball, but was unable to find it. I smirked as I appeared right in front of the ball. My head was pointing to the ground, my foot ready to kick the ball.

"Catch this!" I shouted as I kicked the ball into the net, making sure that it went through Temari's blind spot. I landed on the ground and smiled. The score was now 1-1, a tie game. I jogged back to the rest of my team, leaving my girlfriend's team quite baffled, surprised that we actually scored a point on them. I wonder why they look so surprised. It's just a game anyway. The only reason for them to be surprised is if they won every soccer game without getting scored on. That can't possibly happen unless these guys really do suck in soccer. But males are supposed to be a lot stronger and faster than women, which is actually the truth. When I reached them, my team was just as surprised as the opposing team.

"You guys look like you just saw ghosts," I said, commenting on their facial expressions.

"We... we actually scored, while playing against them..." said Kiba.

"And why does that come as a surprise to you?" I asked him. Neji recovered from the shock first. He turned to me, his pale eyes penetrating my blue ones.

"That's because we've never scored a single point on them before. This is our first time," he said. Now it was my turn to gawk at them. How could the suck this bad? "You see, Kono high school has the best soccer team around, only if lead by Nara Shikamaru. Our boys varsity soccer team has been unbeatable for the past three years, and that's because of Nara-san. But, as good as we are, there's only one other soccer team that can beat us, and that's the girls varsity soccer team."

"Are you serious?" I asked in a deathly shocked tone. Lee and Shikamaru nodded.

"Those five are not only part of the girls varsity soccer team but are also team captains of other sports teams. It's because they are led by Temari-san that they are so good at this stupid sport. They are the most organized group in the school. When the five of them are in any team, other teams, even male teams, give them room. Those five are the pride of this school and because we scored point on them, they're going to brutally murder us," he said, shuddering in fear. I looked to the scared Hyuuga. Never in my life have I ever seen THE Hyuuga Neji scared at anything, much less a group of girls. But I have to admit, those five really are good. I had to use my chakra and some shinobi training to score that point. I looked to them, all glaring at me, except for Ino of course but she still looked pretty mad.

"Damn it, I can't believe they managed to score a point on us!" said Tenten, gathering around her friends.

"Even when Uchiha-san is here, and he's really good, they never were able to score a single point on us," Ino added.

"Look at it carefully, Ino-chan, it's because your boyfriend is leading them now," said Temari, glaring at the other blond. She looked back to her team. "He's good, no he's really, really good. I don't know where he picked up those techniques or how he was able to move as fast as he did, but he's definitely a challenge. His strategies are all new to me and it's a little difficult to think of a proper strategy that will counter his."

"I understand, Temari-san, but what should we do?" asked Hinata. Temari huddled around her friends and whispered her new plan to them. I narrowed my eyes, wondering what they were planning. I'm going to have to devise a new strategy and prepare myself for whatever they have planned. I huddled around my team as well, whispering to them my current plan of action. I don't know if this is going to work, they probably already know my tactics, especially Temari, but I can't let that stop me. They're going down. I'm going to lead this team to victory, their first victory against the girls, I assure it.

__________________________________________________

I huffed and puffed, leaning on my knees for support. Our game has already been going on for at least an hour and my team was getting quite exhausted. Fortunately, so were the girls. I can't believe they're so well organized. They know our weaknesses, they know our strengths, and they're picking up on my strategies as quickly as I make them. Thankfully, my team is very cooperative with my orders. I guess when they saw that I was responsible for giving them their first point against the girls, they just started listening. The score is now 4-4, still a tie game. I looked to my team, they're in worse condition than I was, which is to be expected. Soccer is supposed to consist of more than just five players. We're supposed to have alternates, but clearly, we don't possess that kind of luxury.

The rest of the school was watching our game, which was really nerve wracking. School had already ended a few minutes ago but my team, nor the girls, wanted to give up. The score was 3-4, their favor, when there was barely six seconds left in the game. When Kiba scored the point, the girls refused to give up. It was either a win or a loss for these guys and I guess I can't really blame them. The girls wanted to keep their title against the boys. The boys wanted to win for once against the girls. A tie isn't a loss, but it's not a win either, and that's what my team wanted, a clean and fair victory against the girls. Shikamaru and his team stood up, ready for more action.

"What's our next move, Uzumaki?" he asked. I looked to him, my breathing returning to normal.

"Same tactic as before. It was almost perfect but Lee-san slipped on the ball due to exhaustion. It's a good thing that Inuzuka-san was able to pull us back up or we would have lost this game for sure," I said. Shikamaru nodded as he looked to his team. They were exhausted but the drive to win was what was keeping them going. Sakura and the others ran to us, signalling that they were ready to continue. Temari was about to kick the ball, when Jiraya-sensei blew on his whistle. The four girls stopped and looked to him. A vein popped on Temari's head as she looked to him as well. Jiraya took the ball from her and called us over as well.

"Alright, break it up, that's enough. This game is a draw for today. School has ended and it's time for you guys to go home," he said. Kiba was about to complain but the white-haired man hushed him up. "You don't get a say in this, Inuzuka. You guys may be the varsity teams but that's not an excuse to stay behind unless you have practice to attend to. As memory serves, I don't remember any practices for the soccer teams on Mondays. That being said, you are all dismissed."

With that, Jiraya left, leaving us all in the ditch. We walked out of the playing field, eyes at each other. The students who were watching were noisy before, cheering for their own teams, but as we passed, they became silent. I guess these soccer teams are one of the big highlights of this school. When we showered, changed and exited the locker rooms, we all went our separate ways, vowing to meet again tomorrow to finish our game. All of us went home except for Ino and myself. We stayed in for a while, as Ino had an errand to take care of. I made my way to my motorcycle and waited for my girlfriend. Today has been a pretty eventful day and I'm sure that going to her house will be an experience I won't soon forget.

"Naruto-kun!" she called to me. I unchained my motorcycle and looked to her.

"Did you finish your errand?" I asked. She nodded. I pulled my motorcycle into the road and hopped on it. I placed my helmet on as Ino sat on the back. When she was properly fastened onto me, I kicked my engine to life and rode off. The way to her house was kind of quiet, but the silence actually gave me a little peace of mind. It wasn't until we arrived at her house when she started talking.

"Naruto-kun, just chain that somewhere behind my gate," she said as she opened her door, leaving it open for me to enter after I finish securing my vehicle. When that was done, I entered the house, closing the door behind me. I saw her shoes on the side and removed mine as well. I usually remove my shoes upon entering so I guess I should do the same for Ino. I've cleaned floors before and I know it's not a pretty job to do. My blond girlfriend walked out of the kitchen with some chocolate bars and cans of soda. I don't know how she knew it but she brought my favorite drink, cactus cooler. She sat on a couch and inserted a disc in the DVD player.

"Come on, Naruto-kun, sit beside me," she said, motioning for me to come to her. I nodded and sat next to the arm rest of her couch. She grabbed a blanket that hung on the other side of the couch and turned the television on, placing the blanket on us afterward. I was quite amazed at the size of her television, and her house for that matter. Her family must be pretty loaded to afford these kinds of decorations and expensive looking furniture. She rested on my lap and grabbed a butter finger bar. As the movie started, I found myself relaxing on the couch, allowing it to pull my body to a better position. Then again, how much better can it get than this? She placed a piece inside my mouth. I smiled to her and looked ahead.

"A Walk to Remember?" I asked. "I love this movie!"

"You do? I like it too," she said with a gentle smile. I bent down and kissed her on the cheek. When I pulled away, I saw a smudge of chocolate on her beautiful skin and wiped it off with my finger. She turned to face me. I smiled, the kiss actually yielded the proper results. When she looked my way, I bent down again and kissed her softly, on the lips this time. Ino pulled my head down a little closer, deepening the kiss. Oh how I love these moments that we're having. When she pulled away, she turned back to face the television screen, tucking herself under the blanket. I looked to the television screen as well, enjoying the movie with her.

__________________________________________________

Well, that was a tiny bit longer than what I originally hoped for it to be. As you can see, I've decided on a pairing. I know there's a lot of NaruxSaku and NaruxHina, so I decided to make this one between Naruto and Ino, just to add in to the small cart of other stories about the two blonds. And if you were reading properly, you must have seen a little reaction from Hinata, about Naruto and Ino getting together. That's going to come up in the future, trust me. There's a reason why this story is also rated with drama. Although I gave it the drama rating, it actually heavily focuses on romance, as you will see in later chapters.

And in regards to the little soccer game I wrote, I'm well aware that soccer games don't go like that. I was just watching _Shaolin Soccer _at the time, while listening to _First time _by LIFEHOUSE. I decided to put two and two together and implemented both events into this chapter. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.

Ja ne!


	3. Chapter 3

**Voice of the Wanderer  
**

**Naruto Fanfiction**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a single shred of Naruto.  
**

**Chapter 3: Story of My Life  
**

__________________________________________________

As the ending credits started rolling, I heard Ino sleeping on my lap. I turned the television off and decided to stay in that position for a little while longer. I can't believe that Ino and I are actually an item now. I never dreamed in a million years that she and I would be together. I know that she had a thing for Sasuke, back in the old days, then Shikamaru later on, but neither of those possibilities came around. Sasuke betrayed the village and Shikamaru turned to Temari's direction. Chouji wasn't much of a choice either, as she only saw him as a brother and he the same to her. Now that I think about it, I wonder why she never acquired a boyfriend, back in Konoha.

I looked down at the sleeping angel below me, stroking at her hair. One hand was on her waist and the other one was softly playing with her hair. She snuggled closer to me, probably wanting a bit more of my body heat. Since it's late September, it's already starting to get a little chilly. I don't feel that cold, but maybe that's because I'm wearing a jacket, which is part of my school uniform. Females don't get to wear a jacket. The only thing that covers their arms are the long sleeves on their blouses. I traced my hands along the curvy areas of her waist. The muscle tone on her waist is fantastic, but I guess that's only to be expected because of the sports that she's into.

As my thoughts continued to wander about her, my hands traced up to her arms and eventually her shoulders. Why did it feel a little cold there? She's been under that blanket for quite a while now, so she shouldn't be the least bit cold. Suddenly, my eyes widened. I placed my hand on her forehead. She's burning up! Shoot, why didn't I feel this kind of temperature before? Why do I only feel this now? The blanket that she has is way too thin and the warmth won't spread fast enough. Thinking quickly, I sat her up and took her into my arms. I have to exert some heat so I can seep it into her. Making sure she was still asleep, I released a sudden surge of chakra, allowing it to enter her system.

"Naruto-kun..." she said. I halted my chakra flow and looked to her. Her eyes were still closed, she was probably talking in her sleep. Her face was pretty red, still burning up from her fever. I rested her body on the couch, about to get some wet towels and some water for her, when she continued her line. "Stay with me, Naruto-kun..."

I sighed and decided to improvise. I was going to get said supplies but I'll have to make do with what I have here. I took my jacket off and placed it over her body. I also took my undershirt off and soaked it with some water that I was drinking after our soccer game, while changing in the locker room. It wasn't that cold, nor was it hot either. I placed the damp clothing over her forehead and pulled up a chair to sit on. Just before I did that, I remembered that a wet cloth and a jacket wouldn't be enough to fight her fever off. I've never really gotten sick before, due to my quick healing abilities, but I know how to deal with the common cold.

I made my way to her kitchen and performed my shadow clone jutsu. I instructed them to stay quiet and look for the materials needed to make some hot soup. They nodded in compliance as I walked back to my fallen angel. After several minutes, I stood to check up on my clones. They were cooking some chicken soup and cutting some vegetables, as well as some chicken. I made my way back to her with a bowl of soup, a spoon, and a pair of chop sticks. Just as I sat down on the chair, she opened her eyes slowly, seeing me, as well as five other clones of myself. I then started panicking and quickly dispelled my clones.

"Oh my god... I just saw six Naruto-kuns. I must be losing my mind..." she said weakly as she turned to me. She wiped her vision with her hand and sat up straight to face me. She looked around her, probably making sure that there was only one of me around. "I really must be sick, Naruto-kun. I just saw five others that looked exactly like you."

"That's really funny, Ino-chan, but you're right, you are sick," I replied. I don't want to lie to her, it's the last thing I want to do, but I don't want to introduce her to shinobi arts either. I scooped some soup up with the spoon and held it over her mouth. Ino smiled softly and slurped the contents of the spoon. She studied the taste and her eyes widened. Oh god, I hope those clones made it so that even I would eat it. Her reaction however, was something I wasn't expecting. She snatched the bowl from my hands and chugged the contents down. I raised an eyebrow. I guess it was good stuff after all. When she drank the last of the chicken broth, she placed the bowl on the table.

"That was really delicious. Thank you, Naruto-kun. I don't think I could have made a better tasting chicken soup myself," she said. I was about to open my mouth to reply, when she looked away. Oh no, what is it now? "I'm sorry about all this, Naruto-kun. To tell you the truth, I was sick last weekend because all I was doing was thinking about you."

"And you still came to school, much less played an entire hour of soccer?" I asked. Now my anger was rising but I knew I had to contain myself. "Why would you do that? You should have stayed home to rest. You could have called me or another person if you needed anything."

"I'm sorry about that too. I guess when you sang that song to me, last week, I was just so touched. No one has ever sung a song for me before and I thought it was really sweet of you. Since that night, all I could do was think about you. I didn't get much sleep during Friday or Saturday, just thinking about you, so I became ill on Sunday. I was going to stay home and sweat it all off but something clicked inside my mind. I had to find out if you felt the same way for me as I do for you. I'm glad I went to school today, Naruto-kun. I'm glad that someone is finally returning my feelings," she said. I tilted my head to the side with a confused expression on my face.

"What do you mean by finally? You're sexy, smart, and sassy. What guy in their right minds wouldn't fall head over heels for you?" I asked. Ino shrugged and decided not to answer that one. When she didn't answer, I didn't pry. Maybe she'll tell me the answer to that when she's ready. I won't force it out of her, not that I really wanted to know anyway. There was a short silence between us. She was looking away in guilt, probably for worrying me but I don't mind that. Worrying is a sign that someone cares about another person. I cupped her cheeks and tilted her face to my direction.

"Look, I'm not mad about your actions, just a little worried and don't take that as a bad thing, it's not. You did what you had to do and I don't have an ounce of regret in my system for letting you do that. Just tell me next time, okay? I want us to be able to communicate freely with each other. I need you to be able to talk to me and to rely on me," I said.

"Yes, Naruto-kun, I'll keep that in mind next time. It's just that this is my first real relationship with someone who actually cares about me. This is the first time I'm experiencing this kind of thing," she said. I nodded in understanding. "I'm going to grab a tylennol from the kitchen."

"No, let me do it. You need to rest," I added. Ino frowned at me.

"Hey, I'm not some fragile girl, alright? I know you mean well and I thank you for it but please don't treat me like I'm made of glass. This little fever is nothing that I can't handle," she said, grinning afterward. I was about to protest but allowed it to slide. Ino stood from the couch but almost fell over, still feeling a bit dizzy. I caught her in time, allowing her to lean on me for support. When she was able to stand up straight, she caressed my cheek and smiled, making her way to the kitchen. As she walked away, the door bell rang.

"Naruto-kun, can you get that for me?" she asked. I nodded and made my way to the door. I opened it and revealed someone who I wasn't expecting.

"Uchiha-san, what are you doing here?" I asked, seeing the stern look on his stony face. He never really was the kind that showed anything but anger and sorrow. I wonder why he can't just pull off a smile for once. It's not like it will kill him if he would smile for the first time in his life. The raven-haired boy entered without permission. If he did that, then he must come here often. I thought Ino-chan said that we would be alone today.

"Where is Yamanaka?" he asked. I pointed to the kitchen and allowed him to proceed. I closed the door and followed him into the kitchen. I wonder... what in the world could he possibly be doing here? He looked pretty pissed when he came inside and he wants to see Ino? I have to be on guard, I sense something about to go wrong. Ino opened a bottle cap and swallowed a tylennol, downing some water.

"Naruto-kun, can you help me with--" she cut herself off as she saw our visitor. "Sasuke-kun...?"

"Naruto-kun, can you please wait in the living room?" she asked. I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned against the door frame. I shook my head at her request. If she referred to him with the "kun" honorific, then there must be some kind of importance with him in her life. "Naruto-kun, please. I have to talk to Sasuke-kun once and for all."

"Ino-chan, I want to stay here in case something goes wrong. I know this is your house but I refuse to leave you with this deranged lunatic," I said, clearly insulting the stuck up prince in front of me. Sasuke didn't bother to turn around to acknowledge my statement. Am I that insignificant to him? Even after 500 years, nothing has changed with this guy. In any sense, I'm not leaving Ino-chan with this guy. Back then, he made little to no connection with anyone but now he must have come here for a reason. Ino sighed at me and leaned on her countertop. She placed her hands on her hips and looked to Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun, what do you want?" she asked him. He narrowed his eyes at her, which was making my blood boil.

"How dare you just leave me without even talking to me about it?" he asked as he pointed at me with one hand but remained his focus on the blond beauty. "So, is he the new guy you're fucking? What kind of girl are you?"

"Sasuke-kun, don't you ever say that about Naruto-kun. He's more than you could ever be. I was a fool to accept you into my life," she said. I glanced back and forth at the two. I silently told myself to stay quiet, merely observing the scene before me. But now I have to know... what did she mean by accepting him into her life? I then looked to Ino-chan, ready to ask her my question.

"Ino-chan, what do you mean by--"

"Sasuke-kun is my ex-boyfriend," she said, still looking at him. "I know I told you that I've never had a real relationship before and that's the truth. Sasuke-kun was never there when I needed him. Our first couple of days were great but after that, he started avoiding me, never letting me in. I tried to get him to talk to me, I tried everything to be a good girlfriend for him, but he constantly pushed me away."

"Yamanaka, you know it didn't happen that way!"

"Oh really? May I ask why you're only telling me this now?"

"I--"

"No, forget it, I'm tired of you. I've moved on and I'm sorry I didn't tell you but you never allowed me to talk to you. But since you're here, now's a good time as any. Uchiha Sasuke, I'm breaking up with you," Ino said confidently. I smiled at her, but Sasuke wasn't so happy. He was about to retort but remained silent instead. Go ahead Sasuke, try something. I'll shove my Rasengan into your ass if you even lay a finger on her. Surprisingly, Sasuke just backed away. As he walked out of the kitchen, he clashed his shoulder with mine, but I held my own firmly. He looked to me for a second, hatred burning in his eyes. He opened the front door and slammed it shut as he left. I turned to Ino, who was coughing on one knee.

"Ino-chan, you have to rest," I said, approaching her. She was about to say something when I placed a finger on her lips, silencing her. I helped her to stand and carried her, bridal style. She smiled playfully at me, playing her hand on my chest. I walked upstairs and looked around for a girly looking room, which I would assume was her room. Ino pointed to the right. I looked to said direction and saw a room painted with a sky blue color, assuming that to be her room. I walked inside and placed her on her bed, tucking her in. I looked around her room, it looked kind of nice. What amazed me the most were her many trophies and medals from several competitions.

"You have a pretty nice display of awards, Ino-chan," I complimented.

"Yeah but if I stay sick, some of those records will be tarnished," she said.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, still looking around.

"Look at those two trophies to your left," she said. I nodded and glanced to the left side. There were indeed two trophies there but also something else. There was an empty spot there. I walked up to it and examined the small tag on the table. It read: "2009 hip hop dance competition, 1st place trophy, reserved." I raised an eyebrow. I saw that somewhere in this room. In fact, when I took a second look, I saw that all of the trophies and medals were first place and all had tags below them, stating when they were awarded and where from. Another thing slipped into my mind though. They were all about hip hop dance competitions.

"Ino-chan, why are they all from one sport?" I asked curiously.

"Oh come on, Naruto-kun, you mean to tell me that you haven't figured it out yet?" she asked. I shook my head. "I'm the team captain for the girls varsity hip hop dance team. These are all my trophies and medals from various competitions that I've gone to since I was in junior high school and up to now."

"You're... a captain?" I asked, baffled. I remembered Shikamaru saying that Temari was a captain too, but of soccer. I wonder... "Ino-chan, Temari-san is also a captain, but for the girls varsity soccer team. Since you're the captain of the girls varsity hip hop dance team, what does that make the others?"

Ino blinked at me in confusion.

"You mean that lazy bum of a soccer captain didn't tell you?" she asked. I shook my head again, sitting myself on the edge of her bed. "Well, he told you that Temari-san is the team captain for the girls varsity soccer team and now I told you that I'm the captain for the girls varsity hip hop dance team. Sakura-san, Hinata-chan, and Tenten-san are also captains of their own respective girls varsity teams."

My jaw fell.

"Sakura-san is the team captain for the girls varsity basket ball team. Hinata-chan is the team captain for the girls varsity volley ball team. And Tenten-san is the team captain for the girls varsity karate and judo team," she said. I slowly pulled my jaw up. Is she serious? No wonder they performed so well in our soccer match. Five friends playing together, who are actually captains of their own specialty, against myself and the others. Now I'm kind of curious as to how we even escaped that game with a tied score. Oh wait, we're supposed to finish our game tomorrow. Okay, now I'm a little scared at our opposition. Ino's blue eyes pierced through my own.

"Naruto-kun, you can talk now. Don't tell me you're surprised because you're dating one of the best captains in the school," she said. I shook my head slowly. I was, after all, the ANBU squad captain, back in Konoha, but that probably amounts for a little less than nothing in this era. It took me a while to get over my cold feet. No wonder people were gossiping so much about Ino and me. It's because I'm dating possibly one of the most popular girls in school! Oh boy, now I'm going to get a lot of spotlight in school. I have to watch what I'm doing as there are eyes and ears everywhere I go in that school. I looked to Ino and smiled.

"No, I'm not surprised at all, well, maybe a little. But you know, since we're in this topic of captains, maybe I should tell you a little something about myself," I said. I know I shouldn't do this, but it's not fair that she's being god-honest with me, while I'm keeping her in the dark from my life in the past. I hope she isn't startled though. I was about to form a hand seal, but quickly stopped myself. What am I thinking? I can't show her, I can't show anyone! The age of shinobi is over. Who knows what kind of chain will occur if I show her any jutsus? I merely smiled at her, who smiled at me back.

"Naruto-kun, what were you going to tell me?" she asked. Oh crud, that's right, I was about to tell her that I'm an ANBU captain. Well, with that story blown out of the window, I have to come up with something else. I thought about it for a few seconds and then finally landed on something. I'm a foreign exchange student and with that comes a lot of possibilities! I thought back to the times when I was staying with the rich old man who passed down his wealth to me. He hired many tutors for me, treated me like a prince, like his own son. Okay, here goes nothing.

"I was once the captain of the soccer team, back in my high school in America. That's how I was able to think of quick strategies against you guys, in today's game. I didn't want to show any of my skills until I really had to," I said. I'm going straight to hell for this, I know it. I just lied to the face of such an innocent angel. Forgive me, Ero-sennin. You always told me never to lie to women unless it's to save someone's life. I have disgraced your teachings. Ino looked to me with glee, probably at the knowledge that she too was dating a sports captain. She rested her body down, allowing herself some rest.

"Is there anything else about your life in the west that you'd like to mention?" she asked curiously.

"I was also the captain of my martial arts team," I said.

"I see. But I have one more question, one that's been bugging me and the other girls. How were you able to catch up to the ball when it was flying so fast? After Temari-san kicked it, I was sure you wouldn't be able to catch up to it but you pulled an upset," she said. Oh shit... I'm gonna have to lie again. I hope to kami up there that he doesn't smite me for lying to my own girlfriend.

"I... it was just adrenaline, I guess. Nara-san told me how they never won against you guys and I wanted to lead them to victory for once. But you saw how that ended, in a draw," I said. Well, it wasn't a total lie. Shikamaru did tell me about that but seriously, adrenaline? Sure it's possible but there's no way I could have caught up to that ball without placing some chakra into my feet to make me run faster. Ino just opened her mouth in surprise.

"You know, that's exactly what I told the others but they didn't believe me!" she said, a little louder than I thought she would. She actually bought that lame excuse? "They said that you were probably taking steroids."

When that line passed through my ears, I found myself laughing my ass off on the floor. I really couldn't stop laughing. Ino looked at me like I sprouted heads from my mid section. It was truly a funny comment for them to say that I was taking steroids. I always hated taking those blasted things. I took it once though, a few decades ago, just to see what the feeling would be like. After training for a few weeks, I found that my body had doubled in size, and not by fat. My muscles had muscles on top of them. I looked like a miniature blond version of the Incredible Hulk from the Marvel comics. It was hard to move around though, that's one of the things I didn't like. I regained my composure and sat back on the bed.

"Sorry, that was just too funny. I mean seriously, if I took steroids, I don't think my polo long sleeve would be able to fit me," I said. Ino smiled seductively and licked her lips. Alright... that just royally scared the skin off of my bones. I ceased my laughing when she got up and crawled to me. I was frozen, too scared shitless. She wrapped her arms around my shoulders. She placed one hand on my chest, and one on my abdomen. I could feel her warm breath on my neck.

"Ooolala, Naruto-kun I'm impressed," she said. "You work out on your free time, don't you?"

I gulped.

"Your chest, your abs, oh god, pinch me I'm dreaming," she said. Her breath was so intoxicating but I have to control myself. Come on Naruto, don't let some girl beat you! ... but it's getting harder and harder to resist. I've never had problems with my hormones before, so why are they acting up now? Is it because Ero-sennin skipped some crucial chapters of lessons with women? Could it be that I'm lusting for her? Or maybe it's the oh so possible fact that her firm breasts are pressed against my back? "You know, I feel a lot better now. Either that tylenol is kicking in or you just have a relieving feeling on me."

"Heh, it must be the tylenol, Ino-chan," I said as I turned my body to face her. My body fell on her bed, with her on top of me. Isn't this the part where the girl backs away into a corner, scared out of her wits because a man is taking advantage of her? Oh wait, she's the one on top. So what does that make me? I'm scared shitless and she's still smirking at me. Geez, I really have to learn to keep the pants on the relationship. I placed my hold on her waist, tracing my fingers along her lucious curves. Her body is so firm, yet soft as well. What kind of thoughts are these?! Why is my brain giving me such images? Has my training all gone to waste? The blond bombshell inhaled my scent from my opened collar. Oh that's right, I'm not wearing my undershirt anymore.

"Naruto-kun... I don't know why I'm acting this way. I feel like I've known you for so long and yet I have no memory of you until you came into my life last week. Do you have this effect on all the girls you meet? I feel like you're seducing me with just your eyes. You're not lifting a finger and I feel so..." she paused. Okay, this is getting way out of hand. I have to stop this before something regrettable happens. Before I was able to react, however, Ino loosened her tie and released one of the buttons that held her blouse in place. My eyes widened. No no no no no no no! I'm too young for this! Well not really but still... oh shit...

"It's so hot in this room, Naruto-kun," she said. I placed my hand on her cheek, she's not burning up at all. These actions can't possibly be caused by anything that had to do with her fever earlier. But that means she has complete control over what she's doing. Then why is she doing this? She placed her hands on my tie, about to loosen them, when I took hold of her wrists with both of my hands. I raised my body up so we would be sitting up. A look of confusion washed over her face. I had to stop her. If I didn't, I don't think I would be able to further control my emotions. I've been alive for, what, over 500 years now? And since that much time I can safely admit that I'm still a virgin. I looked her straight in the eyes.

"Look Ino-chan, you're beautiful, no I mean down to earth sexy but I can't do this. I'm not ready for this kind of thing yet," I said. I was ready to take in the crying or the sobbing that she was about to make because I denied her the bit of fun that it looked like she was going to have. But instead of sadness, she was smiling sweetly. Man, women are so weird and unpredictable! How do my ancestors put up with them! Ino moved closer to me and placed a kiss on my lips. Hmm... what is she up to? When she pulled away, she placed her arms around my shoulders, one hand on my neck.

"You pass, Naruto-kun," she said.

I'm lost... what?

"I don't get what you mean by that, Ino-chan," I said. She pulled away from me so she could look me in the eyes.

"I was wondering when you'd stop me from doing that. I was actually getting a little nervous myself," she said. Ino, I don't know what in the world you're talking about. "You see, the other girls suggested this idea to me. When I first dated Uchiha-san, things were going fine and all, until he started trying to take advantage of me every time we're alone together. He never succeeded once because Haruno-san and the others were there to protect me from him. When I started developing feelings for you, I thought you'd be the same as him. That's why I had to take you here and put you through this test. I had to make sure that you weren't like Uchiha-san, who was only thinking with his dick."

"That horny bastard..." I found myself saying.

"Yeah. I'm glad I've crossed that river though. I think I'm going to enjoy my relationship with you, Naruto-kun. You're definitely different from him. And aside from that, another thing is that you're sweet and caring. I remember when I got sick once, Uchiha-san didn't bother trying to take care of me. He never did those things that you did and, which I'm very grateful for. You're one of a kind, Naruto-kun, and I'm the luckiest girl in the world," she said. Wow... no one has ever really complimented me like that before. Even though she pretty much tricked me, I whole-heartedly understand. Her ex-boyfriend was a pompus asshole and she just wanted to be able to tell herself that I wasn't the same kind of guy.

Without much passing through my head, I leaned into her and placed my lips against hers. She was a little startled by my action but allowed it to slide. She lowered her body on her bed, allowing me to follow. My hands found their way to hers, intwining together immediately. I kept a bit of distance against our bodies but that was proving to be quite futile as her breasts were a little bigger than I thought. Even with the few inches worth of distance between us, I could still feel them both against my chest, if only softly. I pulled away slowly and grazed my lips onto her softer, creamier ones. I took in a few breaths.

"Naruto-kun, that's not fair. Stop teasing me," she whined as she moved her head up to kiss me. Oh how I love being in control. When I pulled out again, she smiled at me, apparently content with my services for her. I removed myself from her and placed my tie back together. She buttoned her blouse and leaned on my shoulder.

"You're definitely nothing like Uchiha-san. You're mine, Naruto-kun, and I'm not letting you go," she said happily. I smiled. Just then, my watch started going off. Ino was slightly startled again, and I don't blame her because I was too. I glanced at the time and was shocked to the core. I looked to her.

"Ino-chan, I have to get going home. There's something that I completely forgot about and I have to take care of it quickly," I said. Ino nodded at me and allowed me to stand. She walked my down stairs, out of her room. I took my still wet undershirt and my back pack. I placed my shoes on and turned around to face her. One more kiss wouldn't hurt. I kissed her bottom lip and smiled softly, before walking out of the door and unchaining my motorcycle.

"Good bye, Naruto-kun. See you tomorrow!" she shouted as I rode off. I turned back and waved to her as well. When she closed the door, I faced forward. I can't believe I spent that much time in there that I actually lost track of the hour. It's already 6:00 pm and I'm not even at home yet. Sooner or later, I'll have to tell Ino and everyone else about the real me. But I have to honor all the other shinobi who died for me. They wouldn't want their memory to be thrashed by the people of this era. The ride back to my house was a bit long and annoying. I hate all the traffic around here. I have half the mind to just seal my vehicle into a scroll and just sprint home, but I know that that's a bad idea.

When I arrived home, I noticed that the lights were turned off, how convenient. I quickly ran to the living room, tossing my shoes and back pack to the side. I knelt on the cushion that was already there and formed a couple of hand seals. I spat two small fire balls into the candle sticks, setting the tips ablaze. I placed my hands into a prayer position and closed my eyes. When everything was silent around me, and my heart wasn't beating so fast that it would jump out of my throat, I took a deep breath and exhaled it all out. The thing I was praying to was a large frame of collected pictures that I put together in the past. They were pictures of my closest friends in Konohagakure.

"Hey guys, sorry that I almost forgot to do this. I've been having so much fun over here but I know that it's no excuse to forget about you all. Hmm... I don't think I've mentioned it before, Ino, but your reincarnation is really sexy. I became her boyfriend today, I hope you're not mad at me. I know how much you liked that lazy ass, Shikamaru, but we all know how that turned out, right? I really hope for your blessings in the future. I really like her," I said. The picture frame was silent, not like it could talk anyway. "Anko-sensei wasn't here today, so Ero-sennin took over. He's not as perverted here as I thought he would be. We played soccer and it was really fun."

No reply.

"I want to be able to join you guys some day. I want to tell the stories to you all, face to face. Anyway, I think it's time for me to get going. I still have some homework to do that I didn't even get started on because I went to Ino-chan's house and spent a few hours in there. Oh and Sasuke-teme, why are you still so much of a jerk? You were a jerk to me when we were kids, and you're still a jerk to me now. Don't worry though, I forgive you. But if your reincarnation lays a finger on Ino-chan, I'm going to beat him so hard that you'll feel it from wherever you are. That being said, see you guys next week," I said as I opened my eyes. I formed a ball of Rasengan on my palm and held it near the candles, blowing the fires away.

When that was done and the room was dark again, I stood up and turned on the lights. What homework should I do first, I wonder...

__________________________________________________

Ino and I arrived at school on my motorcycle. It had been a couple of weeks since our game with the girls and we were finally able to settle the score with them. It was a close game, 9-10 but their favor. They were still pretty impressed with my skills though. Shikamaru decided to back off for a while with the responsibilities. He was never much of that kind of type anyway. He talked to the head of the physical education staff and convinced him to give his captain title to me, while he received the title of co-captain. I refused of course, but the others wanted me in too. The days have been passing by and Ino and I are definitely getting closer and closer.

There's so much that she has to offer, it's amazing. Sasuke just lost an amazing girlfriend. This makes me wonder if I was wasting my time in the past, going around and fruitlessly chasing Sakura around, when I could have Ino instead. She's a really sweet girl and I really do think I'm falling in love with her. Speaking of which, we haven't said our "I love yous" yet. I guess we're both thinking about the same thing. Neither of us want to say it until we know that we're right for each other. It's a good idea too, I agree with it. Ino hopped off of my motorcycle as I started to chain it. I walked to her when I finished, intwining my hand on hers as we walked to class.

"Attention students!" a speaking phone sounded. I glanced to the nearest one. "All students will be reporting to their homeroom classes, not their first period classes."

"Odd... I wonder what's up," I said. Ino tugged on my arm.

"Don't you remember, Naruto-kun?" she asked. I shook my head. "We're having our first field trip, for this semester, in two days."

"Oh, that's right... where again?" I asked, scratching the back of my head. Ino narrowed her eyes at me.

"That was never said. I guess we'll find out today," she replied. I nodded slowly as we proceeded to our lockers. Our lockers weren't that far apart from each other. I placed my helmet and back pack away and walked to Ino's locker. I've only seen it a few times and there were a lot of pictures of her friends and herself in there. When she finished with her business, we made our way outside and awaited for everyone else to arrive. There's about a good hour and a half until the bell rings and not that many people are here yet. We sat on the benches, talking about nonsense topics, until one by one, our friends started arriving.

"Well, you two are looking lovely today," said Sakura as she placed her bag down. I smiled and nodded, leaning on my girlfriend's shoulder. Ino cupped my cheek with one hand and kissed somewhere on my head. She then looked over to her pink haired friend.

"Sakura-chan, I was calling you yesterday and you weren't picking up. Is something wrong?" she asked with concern in her voice. They are best friends after all. Sakura blushed at that question as she sat down. She looked around us, making sure no one was around.

"Okay, you guys have to keep your mouths shut about this. I trust you both," she said. Ino and I nodded. Sakura was playing with her fingers, much like Hinata usually would when she's not doing anything or just plain nervous. "Lee asked me on a date last week, and I accepted!"

"Really, Sakura-chan? That's great!" said Ino. I smiled for my friend. It's nice that something good is finally happening for Lee. Back in Konoha, Sakura would never go out with him, only because she was still too absorbed with Sasuke. It's a good thing that she doesn't see things the same way in this era. It's nice that she's giving Lee a chance.

"I was on the phone with him throughout the whole yesterday. I never knew he was such a smooth talker. And he's really gentle too, when we went on our first date, a few days ago," she said. Come to think of it, I don't think Ino and I have gone on our first date yet. Ino and I looked to each other, thinking the same thing.

"Naruto-kun..."

"Yeah, the same thought just crossed my mind, Ino-chan. Where would you like to go?" I asked.

"I'd go anywhere with you, Naruto-kun," she replied.

"Alright. I'll think of somewhere then," I said to her. She smiled at me and gave me a peck on the lips. Sakura gawked at us.

"You two are the cutest couple in the school and you haven't gone on your first date yet?"

"Do you count Naruto-kun coming over to my house everyday after school, cuddling with me, and watching chick flicks?" asked Ino. Oh yeah, that's exactly what I've been doing for the past couple of weeks. Sakura slowly nodded. I agree too, it does sort of count as a date. "Then we've done loads of that."

"Wait, Uzumaki-san has been coming over to your house, alone?!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah. But don't worry your pretty little head, we haven't done anything illegal. Although... it really is hard to resist to rip all those clothes off of him," she looked to me with lust in her eyes. Why does that look always seem to scare me? Ino placed a finger on her chin. "But... there was a time when he accidentally felt me up..."

"Whoa, hey, that was an accident!" I said as I pulled myself from her shoulder. "You were bringing popcorn for the movie that we were watching, while I was on my way to the bathroom. You tripped and landed on me with my hands on your breasts. That was totally not my fault."

"Relax, Naruto-kun. I'm not mad about it at all," she replied, giggling. I pouted at her.

"That's not what you said when you slapped me for, and I quote "groping me," I said. Ino wrapped her arms around me and pulled me closer to her.

"Okay I guess I did over react a little but you have to understand that we girls take our private areas very seriously. I want to at least be wearing a bra if you're going to touch me there again," she said smugly. I backed away, completely scared out of my mind.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, way too much information there... hold on, you weren't wearing a... when my hands touched you there, you weren't wearing a..." I trailed off as I looked at my hands like they were the most guilty pair of hands that I've ever seen. I felt my pupils narrowing, and my left eye twitching. No wonder I felt more skin than clothing. This relationship thing can really blow a guy's mind! Ino kissed my cheek.

"You're so innocent, Naruto-kun. I really like that about you," she said.

"Aww... you two really are a cute couple," said Sakura. I sighed and wrapped my arms around Ino's waist, pulling her closer to me. I then rested my hands on her hips, taking her lips into mine. I don't know how many times I've kissed her since we started dating, I kind of lost count, but it really doesn't get old. As time continued to pass, our friends started arriving. We explained to them that we were meeting in our homerooms today. When the bell rang, we made it to our rooms. I'm glad I have homeroom with Ino. I also have it with Tenten, Shino, Chouji, Kin, and Tayuya. Speaking of whom, they are actually a lot nicer in this era than they were in the shinobi era. I don't have any classes with them though, unfortunately.

When the tardy bell rang, we were all seated immediately. It took another few minutes for our homeroom teacher to arrive, probably due to some meeting. She had jet-black hair and cool red pupils. A fine body as well, and fair skin. She also adorned red lipstick and a blue pair of jeans on her hips and legs. She wore a blue sweater over her shoulders. Wait, I remember this person... red pupils, red lipstick, super hot body... wait I shouldn't be thinking that way. Ino-chan is my girlfriend and it's wrong for me to be thinking of other women like this. Stupid hormones! It's her, it's Yuhi Kurenai.

"Hello class, sorry I'm late, emergency faculty meeting and all," she said as she started taking roll. It actually amazed me to see how similar everyone looks in this era, as opposed to how they looked in the shinobi era. When she finished with that little task, she stood behind her podium and looked to all of us. We were all silent, awaiting for her next words. She cleared her throat and started speaking.

"As you all know, we're having our first field trip of this semester, at Thursday of this week, which is about two days from now. I apologize if you think it's rather short notice, but the staff has been trying to get a position in this trip for months and a spot only made itself available recently," she said. I nodded. I wonder where we're going. I think that's going to be my first question. Ino-chan doesn't know either, neither do the rest of my friends but I bet a teacher would know.

"Yuhi-sensei, where are we going?" I asked.

"Glad you asked, Uzumaki-san. We're going to the very area where our school got its name from. It's a small village but it was recreated after a massive village that was destroyed a few hundred years ago, which is where our school name came from. Our destination is Konohagakure II," she said. My eyes widened in horror. I can't go back there. There's way too many memories. I can even remember where I buried everyone. No... anywhere but there. I felt a pair of hands reach my shoulders.

"Naruto-kun, are you excited? This is going to be so much fun!" she said. I couldn't say a word. How could I feel excited, or much less happy? But maybe I really should go. It would be a good way to attempt to cleanse my horrible memories there. Just then, another thought passed into my mind. I wonder if Kurenai knows who it was who gave the name of the school to us. I think I have a rough idea though, but I'm not sure. I placed my hand on Ino's hand, just as a sign of my reply. I didn't want her thinking that I ignored her, in which case I think I actually did. I smiled to her instead of replying. I looked back to the black-haired sensei.

"Sensei, the one who gave the school its name.. could it possibly be someone by the name of Namikaze Minato?" I asked. Kurenai raised an eyebrow at me. My classmates all looked at me strangely too.

"I think so, but I'll have to check it out. May I ask how you stumbled upon this information?" she asked. I shrugged my shoulders, hiding the secret from her. I took my father's name when I was traveling. I was known by his name and perhaps it was my stories of Konoha that drove people to use its name for this school. Kurenai took a deeper glance at me, narrowing her eyes as if trying to read me. She placed a finger on her chin.

"You know, that name does sound familiar. I read about it in the library. He was said to have blond hair, blue eyes, and was about the same height as you, Uzumaki-san. Was he a distant relative of yours?" she asked. Uh oh... busted...

"Yes, sensei. Namikaze Minato is my great, great, great, great, great grandfather from my mother's side," I said, totalling bullshitting that. The man is my father, not some wrinkled old ancestor. My classmates made several happy gestures at me. I should be happy for all this, that my school is finally going to the place where its name came from. But for some reason, I'm not. There's so many memories there, damn. I really hope I can hold it together while I'm there. The rest of the class time was spent discussing on what we would bring for the trip. Since I'm pretty much the honored guest, the class decided that I wouldn't have to bring anything, but I know what I'm going to bring. It's time I end these memories once and for all.

"Well guys, now what we've all decided on what we're bringing for the field trip, I'm instructed to dismiss you all. There is no school until the day of the field trip. That being said, all of you, get out of here," she said. The rest of my classmates cleared out of the room like it was filled with poison. They're all young and there has to be something besides school that they want to do. I lazily pulled myself off of my chair and was about to leave with Ino-chan and the othes, when Kurenai stopped me. "Except you, Uzumaki-san."

"Sensei, what do you need me for?" I asked.

"I want to tell the rest of the staff about you and your relative. I think they'll be quite happy to see you," she said. I nodded. I would have to at least give them that. Ino placed a hand on my shoulder. I turned to face her and as I did, she embraced me.

"You don't look too excited. Let's talk about it later, okay? I want to know what's bothering you," she said, whispering to my ear. I truly am blessed to have someone like her. I couldn't have asked for a better first girlfriend. I nodded and placed a kiss on her cheek. "The others and myself are meeting at WacDonalds, the one that's a couple of blocks from here. Go there after you finish your business here."

"Yeah. I'll see you later, Ino-chan," I said. She nodded as well and departed. I turned back to face my sensei, who was getting ready to leave as well. When she was ready, she and I left for the faculty lounge. The walk there seemed to take forever. It's one thing that my friends have been reincarnated but my teachers too? This really ending up to be quite the motley crew. And to add to that, we're going back to the origin or our home village? What did I ever do to deserve this? I thought I was leaving my past life behind. Could it be that coming back to Japan was a bad idea? When we arrived, most of the teacher were already there, save for Kakashi. Man, that guy is always late.

"Kurenai-chan, what's that kid doing here?" asked Anko, sipping her coffee.

"Anko-chan, remember that book we read about the founder of this school's name? That man is this kid's ancestor. They're blood related too, it's amazing! Doesn't he look just like him?" she asked. Anko and some of the other staff members looked my way, apparently studying me.

"The kid does look familiar, much like that blond guy from the book, there's no doubt there," said Asuma. "I guess he's going to be the guest of honor, eh?"

"That's what his class decided," said Kurenai.

"So, Uzumaki-san, do you know anything about your ancestor?" asked Iruka. I nodded.

"Yes I do. He was a very strong man with a kind heart. That's what my relatives tell me though," I said. Iruka nodded and smiled. "Anyway, you should get going, Uzumaki-san. We still have a lot of paper work to get through. We'll see you on the day of the trip."

"Alright. Good bye Umino-sensei, and the rest of you," I said as I bowed to them. They nodded at me as I left. I grabbed my stuff from my locker and made my way to my motorcycle, unchaining it. Ino-chan said she'd be at WacDonalds with the others. Why does that name sound like McDonalds? The fast food restaurtant in America. Strange how that name made its way to this country. I gave life to my vehicle and rode off to the fast food restaurant. If all my friends are going to be there, the place should be packed. I wonder if Sasuke is there. He better not be touching my Ino-chan, I swear.

When I arrived and secured my motorcycle, I entered the place. Sure enough, a lot of my high school peers were there. I looked around for a few seconds, until I spotted a head of pink hair, definitely belonging to Sakura. I walked over to the table that they sat on. Ino waved to me and scooted over, making some room for me. Sasuke was there, but he remained silent. I wonder why he's always like this.. or rather, I wonder what's going on in that creepy brain of his. I listened to everyone talking, all the while trying to get my thoughts straightened out. Ino sensed my discomfort and tugged on my arm.

"Hey, what's bothering you?" she asked. Oh yeah, she wanted to talk about it earlier but Kurenai called me to the teacher's lounge. Well, I'm here now but I don't know if I should tell her. I know I should, but is it safe? I looked to the others, who were busy conversing with each other. Shino, Sasuke, and Gaara remained as quiet as ever. I don't think I'll ever understand those guys. I then looked to Ino who looked like she was patiently waiting for my answer.

"Ino-chan..." No, I can't. I must not but she's been so honest with me through all this time. Maybe it's not so bad if I tell just one person. "I... alright, I'll spill but not here. I'll tell you when we're alone. It's bad enough that I'm telling one person. I don't want to burden the others."

"We're all here for you, Naruto-kun, myself especially. If it's bothering you, you should tell us. I'm sure we can help," she said.

"I don't know about that. It concerns you, all of you," I replied.

"Then you should tell us all the more."

"I know but it's not safe. I have my reasons. I'll tell you when we're alone, okay?" I bargained. Ino sighed but nodded respectively. The rest of the time in the restaurant was spent with nonsense chattering. It was at this time that I learned that Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro aren't even related. I had to restrain myself from the shock, upon learning that little secret. Then again, they look nothing alike. I mean, look at their hairs for example. Gaara's hair is red, Temari's is blond, and Kankuro's is brown. I have half the mind to think that they're adopted and living under the same roof. Hmm... I guess that means Kankuro can marry... no no no no no no! That is the worst thought ever!

"Uzumaki, you alright there?" asked Neji. "You look like you're having a panic attack."

"Oh, um, no I'm good. Just thought of something weird," I said, flashing my good old goofy smile. They didn't pry any further than that and decided to return to their businesses. After about an hour or so, we all went our separate ways, vowing to meet again at the day of the field trip. I hopped onto my motorcycle and made sure Ino was strapped onto me tightly, like always. When I rode off, Ino tapped my shoulder.

"Naruto-kun, this isn't the way to my house," she said.

"You're right. This is the way to my house," I replied.

"Um, alright. Well, now that we're alone, what was it that you were going to tell me?" she asked curiously. I figured she'd be at least partially interested but would this knowledge be too much for her? I really hope not but I don't want to keep her in the dark anymore. I've been lying to her, to everyone, ever since I met them, close to a month ago and I hate myself for it. I'm going to come clean, but only with her. Maybe in due time, I'll tell the others as well.

"I'll tell you when we reach my house. There's something there that will make things easier for me to explain. I just hope you're not too shocked when you see it," I said. Ino nodded slowly. I can feel the shivering in her skin, under her clothes. It's not from the wind, although it's pretty cold. It holds a small hint of fear. I've felt this kind of feeling before, during my shinobi days as the ANBU squad captain. Whenever my subordinates would have their first kill, they would feel this way. I felt it too when I took my first life. Killing just gradually gets easier and easier, the more one does it. I just hope she doesn't think of me as a deranged lunatic like Sasuke. When we reached my house, Ino looked around the place.

"Naruto-kun, this is a nice place. Are your parents home?" she asked.

"Um... I'll explain everything inside," I told her. She nodded and followed me inside, after I parked my vehicle inside the garage. I led her to the living room and sat us both down. "Alright, what I'm about to tell you must never escape your mouth. Please, it's bad enough that I'm telling you but I can't stand keeping you in the dark anymore. I want you to know who I really am."

"Naruto-kun... I don't understand," she said. I nodded and showed her a small area near my fire place. The large photo frame was there, the one that held the pictures of all of my friends in the shinobi era. Ino walked over to it and examined it. She saw herself wearing purple clothing, revealing more cleavage than she does now. She turned to face me.

"Where did you get these pictures? All of these people look exactly like our friends, one of them looking like me. But I don't ever remember wearing clothes like this. Naruto-kun, I really don't understand," she said, fear starting to rise from her voice.

"Those are pictures of my friends. They're... no longer with me, at least not in spirit," I said.

"I'm not following..." she said. I walked up to the large photo frame and knelt down to it. I pointed at the one that looked just like her.

"That is you... 500 years ago," I said. Ino's eyes widened, seemingly unable to believe what I had just said. Now comes the waiting part. I wonder how this is going to end. I really hope she takes it well. Telling someone that they existed 500 years ago must be a little overwhelming. I hope she's ready for this. Oh no, she's shaking. I knew I shouldn't have told her but I couldn't hold out any longer. I never wanted this relationship but I got it anyway. I never wanted to be with her, but it happened anyway. I never wanted to...

"Naruto...kun... 500 years ago? Then that would mean... how old are you?" she was shocked, I understand that. I don't know what to do, how am I supposed to react? I know I have to answer her question, but I want to comfort her first. I walked up to her and wrapped my arms around her. I didn't feel her resisting, but she wasn't hugging me either. This is bad, this is really bad! I was about to pull away when she suddenly held me tightly, so tight that I almost thought the world was going to end. I didn't see this coming. I thought she would be completely angered with me for keeping her in the dark for so long. But I had no other choice.

"Naruto-kun, don't leave me please. I'm not mad, okay? I'm just a little confused. I don't understand how they're not with you. I don't understand how they all lived 500 years ago while you're still here. And above all that, I don't understand how they could look like all of us," she said quickly. I looked her in the eyes, arms still around her body. She wasn't letting me go either, nor did it feel like her hold on me was loosening. She must really be frightened.

"I think we should sit down for this part," I suggested.

"No, just say it right here, right now," she said. I nodded slowly. I owe her this. Quite frankly, I owe this to everyone, but one person at a time. I'll tell the others too, but not right now, not later either. But they're my friends, they have the right to know. And it does concern them, well their past lives anyway. Speaking of which, maybe that's where I should start. I glanced to the Yamanako Ino that was on the photo. She was smiling happily, much like Ino-chan usually does. I turned back to the blond before me.

"I really think we should sit down."

"Naruto-kun.. now, please?" she asked, almost as if begging. I sighed softly to myself. I looked at the photo frame again. Sorry guys, I guess I'm going to have to tell your reincarnations a little sooner than I expected. But maybe this is what you want, right? I sort of feel relieved that I'm telling them one by one. You want me to be happy and to achieve that, you want me to live my life. I thought I couldn't at first, until I met you guys again... well, theoretically speaking, they are you all. And Yamanaka-san, you're the lucky winner because I'm telling your reincarnation first. I turned back to Ino-chan once more.

"It all started 500 years ago, in Konohagakure, a village of shinobi..."

__________________________________________________

There's chapter 3 for you guys. I think this is going well so far. I don't have much to say this time, as I'm really tired. It's 3:17am here and my eyelids are threatening to close at any minute. There will be other pairings of course, besides NaruIno. Oh and I did mention that Kankuro, Gaara, and Temari aren't siblings right? Don't worry, I won't pair them up with each other. Even though they're not related, I can just imagine them making out and that's just so weird! Anyway, for those incest fans, sorry to disappoint but I'm not the kind of writer who writes that kind of thing. Well, that's all that I have to say for today. The next chapter is coming soon!

Ja ne!


	4. Chapter 4

**Voice of the Wanderer  
**

**Naruto Fanfiction**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a single shred of Naruto.**

__________________________________________________

**A/N: Thank you all for the kind and thoughtful reviews. Those are really helping me as inspiration to continue writing this story. At first, I wasn't a very big Naru/Ino fan but I figured... heh, why the hell not? When I started writing this, I instantly got hooked to the pairing. They don't have much history together, anime-wise anyway, but that's just what's so special about these two. Us writers can make anything we want, to a certain degree, and still make it a very good story. I also seem to like Naru/Ten for the same reason. Exploring their pairing possibilities is so exciting!**

**Anyway, back to the story**

__________________________________________________

**Chapter 4: Deep in My Heart  
**

__________________________________________________

I remained silent after telling my story. It took a grand total of eight hours. It actually should have been longer, but I chose to skip some unimportant details. I mostly told only the important parts, but I did mention that I had a large crush on Sakura. That was the part where Ino-chan couldn't stand anymore, which is why we had to sit down. I offered to stop telling my tale, but she urged me to go on. I told her that nothing happened between Sakura and I. She was relieved upon hearing that, I guess. I also told her that Sasuke betrayed the village and I ended up killing him, only because he was threatening to kill me and wouldn't accept redemption.

It's been a little more than ten minutes now, and still, not a single word has been able to come from her mouth. There were some instances where she looked like she wanted to speak, but she ended up silencing herself. I wonder if I did the right thing... should I have waited? We've only been together for almost a month. Maybe she doesn't deserve this kind of knowledge from me yet. I do suppose that it's a little overwhelming to hear that your boyfriend has been alive for over 500 years. I really do wish she'd say something though. This silence really is uncomfortable. When she wasn't saying anything, I decided to take that to my responsibility.

"I'm sorry Ino-chan, I-I shouldn't have--"

"No Naruto-kun.. I'm glad you told me this. It really does explain a lot, especially about how you knew so much about us in such a short amount of time. It explains why I felt a little strange when I first said your name. Heck, you being a trained shinobi actually explains how you were able to play such a competitive soccer game," she said. I rolled my eyes at that. It's not just because of my shinobi training. Maybe I did forget to mention that I did learn how to play soccer in the school at America, where I learned to speak English. "I understand why you didn't want to tell me though."

"Are you mad at me? You know, for keeping you in the dark for so long?" I asked, a bit scared at what she might say next.

"No, not at all. Although I'm a little confused, we'll get through it, right? Besides that, I've grown really fond of you. You're not like most guys that I've seen around here. You're really... different. And that's not because you've literally been around for so long but... well, let's just say that my past life was a fool for not noticing just how special you really are," she said. I chuckled at that thought. Ino-chan was actually demeaning Yamanaka-san. I'm going to have to tell her that when I see her in the afterlife. Oh I just can't wait to see her face. Just then, I found Ino-chan looking away, apparently sad about something. I placed my hand on her chin, pulling her to me.

"Hey, is something wrong?"

"It's nothing like that... it's just I'm a little jealous, you know? You're going to live on and I'm not going to--" I stopped her right there. Oh yeah, I did sort of forget that part.

"Ino-chan, sorry I guess I didn't mention that little part. Remember the demon inside me, the Kyuubi? His essence faded some time ago. Because his essence has left my body, my eternal life is gone. This is my last wing, and I want to spend every moment of it with you," I replied. That brought a smile into her lips. Ino tacked me, placing her arms around my shoulders. I was hoping that would get her in a good mood. I'm glad she didn't run away screaming like a frightened child. I guess I really did make the right decision in telling her. The air was silent around us, just how I like it. I looked to the clock over her shoulder, reading that it was about 6:30pm. I think we have time to go somewhere special.

"Ne, Ino-chan, I was wondering.. would you like to go somewhere with me tonight?" I asked.

"Yeah sure. What place do you have in mind?" she asked back. Hmm.. I haven't really thought about that one.

"Uhh, how about you let me worry about that? I'll pick you up at around... 8 ish?"

"Are you kidding me? It takes at least an hour to get to my place from yours, even if we took the freeway," she said. I thought about it for a moment. She did have a point. Just then, something popped into my mind. I am a shinobi after all. I turned around and walked to my room. I dug through my closet, picking up a few old relics. They were my father's special kunai, used for his Hiraishin no Jutsu. It took me a while to master it but what can I say? I've lived longer than anyone else. Of course I was able to master it. I returned to Ino-chan with three kunais on my hand. She looked a bit scared out of her wits when she saw them. I took her hand and pulled her up. I opened the front door and looked around.

"Your house is to the north-west, right?" I asked. She nodded slowly. I handed her one of the three kunais, held the second on my mouth, and threw the third back inside my house. I formed a few hand seals. Tiger, monkey, snake, ox, dragon.

"Ninpo: Hiraishin no Jutsu," I called out, taking the kunai from my mouth, causing a bit of my chakra to flow through it. I reeled my arm back and threw it as far into the air as I could. Before the kunai even left our line of sight, it vanished. I smirked, I guess it worked after all. I picked Ino-chan up, bridal style and formed another hand seal with my right hand. In an instant, we both appeared on her front yard, where my kunai was planted on a nearby tree. I placed her down and pulled my kunai out. She gave the other one back to me.

"Wow... a teleportation jutsu?" she asked. I nodded. "How does it work?"

"Basically, I use the kunai as a marker, a checkpoint if you will. With this jutsu, I can harmlessly dematerialize myself, or anyone I'm carrying, into cellular fragments and move at the speed of light. I can take us to any one of the three markers, wherever they may be in the world. You'd be surprised how much ground you can cover while traveling 183,000 miles per second. And that reminds me of something," I said as I handed her one of the kunais again. "Keep this at your house. Whenever you need me, just give me a call and I'll be there in a flash... literally."

"Naruto-kun, you're always full of surprises, aren't you?" she asked, giving me a peck on the cheek. "Well, I guess I'll see you in about an hour and a half?"

"Yeah. Oh and, do grab a jacket. It might be a little cold where we're going later on," I said. Ino-chan nodded and entered her home. I formed a hand seal and vanished, reappearing back at home, next to the kunai that I threw inside earlier. I walked into my bathroom and started taking my shower while thinking about where exactly we'd be going.

__________________________________________________

I rang the door bell on Ino-chan's front door. I more or less know where to go. This is after all going to be my first real date with my first real girlfriend. Geez, just thinking about where to go is kind of scary. We're going to have dinner at some fancy restaurant, sit under the moon light, have a romantic eventing... okay all that just came right out of my ass. The truth is that I haven't thought of a decent thing that even sounds like it would make for a good first date. This is supposed to be something that we're going to remember for the rest of our lives and I haven't thought of anything?! What the hell is wrong with... holy shit...

The door opened to reveal a very stunning looking Ino. The upper to middle part of her hair was straightened out, shining ever so brightly. The lower part of her long hair was curled, going down. She didn't have any heavy make up on her face, just something light, very very light. She wore a white blouse, made of silk, and a black soft leather jacket that was zipped up to the center of her torso. She also wore a pair of blue jeans and a pair of brown soft leather boots that went up to just a couple of inches below her knee cap. I didn't think she'd go all the way with the appearane. Of course that's not to say that I look too bad.

I wore my hair as I usually do, but had a little minor change into it. Instead of it just spiking up, it was also spiked in every direction. Up down, side to side, almost every part of it was spiked. Some strands of my golden-blond hair fell beside my ears and even in front of my forehead, but didn't go into my vision. The spikes were a bit thinner though, not like the usual fat spikes that I would normally have on my head. I wore the dark blue long sleeve from my old chunin days. It was getting a little too small but I performed a jutsu to enlarge it. On top of that, I wore the green tactical vest that chunin and jounin in Konoha would wear. But instead of the blue pants that they wore, it was replaced with a pair of black, baggy jeans and a pair of white nike shoes on my feet.

"Ino-chan, that's really sexy," I commented.

"You don't look too bad yourself, Naruto-kun. I've never seen that kind of vest before though," she said, examining my tactical vest.

"It was from my shinobi days. All regular and high ranked shinobi would usually wear this kind of thing. I haven't worn it in a while and felt like living the good old days. The same goes with the long sleeves. Of course we don't wear jeans, this is just something I randomly picked out of my closet," I said, placing a smile on her lips. She closed the door to her house and walked outside with me, our hands held together. When we left her front lawn, she noticed that my motorcycle wasn't there. I knew what she was about to ask me and reacted just a few seconds before she was about to say something.

"We're not using my motorcycle today," I said as I crouched down. "Tonight, is going to be a little different."

I motioned for her to climb on top of my back, and that's what she did. I stood up slowly, making sure that her arms were fastened around my neck. She wasn't holding me that tight though, making sure that I had enough space to keep breathing. When I was up, I leaped to the top of her house and started moving about, going wherever my feet were willing to take me. Whenever I jumped from one house to another, I felt Ino's hold on me become tighter. When I landed on the roof of a house, she would loosen her grip and the process would continue for the next few minutes until I was really starting to get annoyed, well, just a little.

"Ino-chan, just relax, will you? I'm not going to drop you, if that's what you're scared about," I said with a small hint of laughter in my voice. Ino looked down and regretted it. We had just passed a couple of houses with one leap.

"That's not what I'm scared about, Naruto-kun. I trust you and everything but this is pretty new to me. I may have been this jounin thing in my past life but this is me right now. I'm used to having my feet firmly planted on the ground," she said. I nodded a couple of times, taking it into consideration. As I was about to land on another rooftop, my foot slipped on the edge. Ino held onto me as tightly as she could. My arms were firmly held on her legs, not letting go for any reason. My body tilted down, about to fall off on my back, well her first anyway. I tilted my head slightly, she was closing her eyes. I chuckled for a while. She opened her eyes, we weren't falling. Rather, I had my feet planted on the wall.

"We're... not falling..." she said slowly.

"No... we're not..." I said in a mocking tone. "I'm a shinobi, remember?"

"Naruto-kun!" she shouted, slapping my shoulder. "You did that on purpose, didn't you?!"

"Not exactly," I said, laughing as I leaped from the wall, performing a back flip in the air and continued on my jumping spree. "I admit that I did slip on the edge for a second. I could have masked my mistake in 20 different ways but I guess a small part of me wanted to see how you would react. But really, don't worry. I won't let you go. I promise."

I continued running until we reached a house with quite a bit of distance between it and another house. I guess Ino wasn't worried at all because she thought I would resort to the houses on the side, but I wasn't. When I kept running towards what seemed like an impossible jump, Ino looked to me, fear quite eminent in her eyes. Despite her protests, I ran faster and faster. She held on to me a little tighter, almost about to close her eyes. When I made the jump, I looked to her. She wasn't closing her eyes, but rather, she was looking down. I could feel her heart beating twice as fast against my back. I looked ahead of me. Wow, that's quite the distance I have left to go...

"Naruto-kun, we're not going to make it!" she shouted into my ear. I removed my hold from her legs and formed a familiar hand seal, one of my favorite ones actually.

"Ninpo: Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" I called out as a clone of myself appeared below me. I landed on his shoulder and jumped off of him, causing him to disappear in a puff of smoke. I eventually landed on the designated building and placed both hands on Ino's legs again, securing her safely. I looked back to the distance that I jumped. "Darn... I was really hoping I could jump that without any help..."

"Are you absolutely insane?! You didn't even think you would make that?" she shouted in my ear.

"You are absolutely right! I didn't even think I would make that!" I said happily, continuing my run with a grin plastered on my face.

"Geez Naruto-kun. I'm glad we're doing this while I'm young. I don't think I can handle this kind of date if I'm too old. You're going to give me a heart attack because of this, one of these days," she said. I laughed a little.

"Nah, you'll get used to it," I assured her. I continued running for another 45 minutes or so and would have gone longer, until we reached a large city. I jumped off of the tree that I was standing on and took Ino's hand. Yeah, I think this is the place. I'm a bit amazed at myself. Almost an hour of traveling like that and I haven't even broken a sweat. Man, I'm amazing! I led Ino around the city. As she was sight seeing, I was actually looking for this one place that I discovered only last week while doing some groceries. When my eyes spotted it, we ran into it. It was THE Ichiraku ramen stand.

"Hey old man, how are you doing?" I asked the old ramen chef. He smiled at and looked to Ino.

"That must be Yamanaka Ino, eh Naruto?" he asked. I nodded. Ino tilted her head down, slightly bowing at him. "So, what'll it be for today, kid?"

"Five bowls of miso ramen with pork and extra teriyaki sauce!" I said.

"And for your date?" he asked.

"Um, one bowl of whatever he's getting, sir," she said. The old ramen chef nodded and proceeded to his work. Ino looked to me. "A ramen stand, Naruto-kun? I've eaten ramen before and it wasn't really all that special. Not that I'm complaining or anything but this is our first date after all. Shouldn't it be a memorable experience?"

"Tell me, Ino-chan, don't you think running and jumping from roof top to roof top, seeing some beautiful sights, feeling the wind on your skin, not having your feet firmly planted on the ground, is that not a memorable experience?" I asked her. She opened her mouth to protest, but slowly closed it, thinking about what I had just said. She nodded slowly and looked back to me.

"I suppose... well alright. I'll give this place a shot," she said. I smiled widely. After a few minutes, our meals arrived. I was about to dig right in, but waited for Ino to have the first bite. She took her chop sticks and picked up a batch of noodles. She placed it into her mouth and sipped the extra strands that didn't reach her mouth. I watched her chew the delicious goodness. Any second now, Ino-chan. She chewed slowly, allowing the taste to make its way into deeper parts of her mouth. Upon swallowing the chewed noodles, she looked down at her ramen bowl, which was on top of a red tray. She looked to mine and quickly swapped our trays. Wait... what just happened?

"Naruto-kun, this ramen is incredible! I've never tasted anything like it!" she said as she started scarfing down the ramen that... I ordered. I looked at the single bowl of ramen under me. I feel like I just got robbed. Oh well, I better get started. Right as I picked up my first batch of noodles, about to place them in my mouth, I heard something from Ino that I never thought could possibly happen. She had the bowls stacked on a neat pile, on the edge of her tray. "More please!"

"Coming right up," said the ramen chef. My jaw fell at my girlfriend. She looked like one of those happy children in those commercials when they are playing with their little action figures or barbie dolls. I haven't even started on my SINGLE bowl of ramen and she already gobbled the FIVE bowls of ramen that she took from me. Back in Konoha, no one could eat ramen as fast as I can, but here, this girl, this amazingly incredible person, just tarnished my record. I looked to my noodles and pretty much lost the feeling to eat anything else, but figured I should at least finish this one. I do have to pay for it after all.

When we finished our meal, Ino rubbed her stomach, which was still pretty flat. There was a fairly large stack of bowls on her tray. There were seven stacks, each one have five bowls on them. I pulled my wallet out, completely glad that I packed a lot of money with me. I only had three bowls finished, which really looks pathetic to the 35 bowls that she has on her tray. I pulled out 2,500 yen and handed it to the ramen chef, telling him to keep the change. Ino and I walked out of the ramen stand, our stomachs full, but my pride thrown into the wind. I guess there's finally something my old friends can laugh at me for, when I see them in the after life.

"Naruto-kun, that was really delicious. We have to go there again some other time," she said. I smiled at her, laughing a bit. We walked along the streets of the city, which I later realized was actually Tokyo. As we walked around Tokyo, sight seeing, we came across a theater that was showing a kabuki play. Now, I wasn't really one for this kind of thing, but the old man who left his inheritence for me showed me the beauty and grace of the kabuki art. Little by little, I really started appreciating these masked people and their acts. I pulled Ino's hand to the theater. Before she could say anything, I purchased two tickets from the clerk and led us inside one of the rooms.

"Huh? A kabuki play? Naruto-kun, these are really lame and stupid," she said. I stopped and looked to her.

"You pretty much implied that ramen was lame and stupid, and look what happened," I said. Ino blinked a few times and then sighed. She nodded and proceeded inside. The room was dark, only a few lights were lit to guide new audiences like us. We were able to find a good seat in the middle and sat down to watch the show. It was basically about a warrior who was lost in his path, until he met up with some random chick, kind of like me, before I met Ino-chan. After a few minutes, I found my bladder about to burst, probably because of all that ramen broth. I was about to stand to go to the restroom, when Ino grabbed my arm and pulled me back down.

"Hey, stay here and watch. This is really great! Young Keiji and little Hikaru are having their first intimate moment together. No way are you leaving on the best part!" she squealed. I looked to her and quickly nodded, crossing my legs. Geez, she really can get scary when she gets excited. I hope crossing my legs will actually help in my ordeal. There's one more hour of this play and I doubt Ino will be letting me go. I sighed to myself once more that day and watched the play.

As we left the theater, after it was over of course, Ino was prancing about, mimicking the little gestures of the young female actress, Hikaru. I could only watch her with a bit of interest, a little only because I had to hold my bladder and I'm not exactly in my happiest mood while I'm holding it and wasn't really able to concentrate on the play because of it. After the play ended of course, she allowed me my leeway and gave me the permission to go to the bathroom. Hold on, did I just say that? I actually need permission from a girl to attend to the call of nature? What was this term? I saw it in an urban dictionary once, while doing a history book report...

"Whipped..." I accidentally said out loud. Ino looked to me.

"What was that, Naruto-kun?" I stopped walking as I realized what I had just said. I looked to her slowly. I'm whipped?! Oh hell no, no no no no no no no! I'm not allowed to be whipped. I'm the man of this relationship. There is no way in hell that this blasted, albeit gorgeous, sexy, free spirited, loving, caring, sweet, angelic... oh who am I kidding? My soul will go gay for her and I wouldn't even know why. What's happening to me? What in the world am I becoming? I guess Ero-sennin was right after all. Try as we men might, we will always fall prey to the women that we love. I guess it's not so bad then. It is her after all. I smiled widely.

"Nothing at all, Ino-chan. I can tell by your actions that you enjoyed the play?"

"YES!! We have to see it again! We missed the introduction but everything else sort of filled it in. Naruto-kun, I can't believe I'm having so much fun. I didn't even think that the kabuki play would be anything short of a futile attempt to have fun but five minutes later, BAM!" I sort of flinched when she said that last word, but then calmed down. I glanced at my watch. It's getting rather late, but there's still one thing that I want to show her. I took her hand and zipped to a roof top.

"Naruto-kun, do you have another place in mind?" she asked excitedly, getting on top of my back.

"It's getting late, Ino-chan, and yes I do have one last place in mind," I said as I sped off. When we eventually reached a forest, very far from Tokyo, I jumped to a tree and looked around us. All there was that surrounded the place for many miles were trees and mountains. I guess this wouldn't be such a bad place to do it. I jumped back to the ground. Taking one big leap, I jumped high into the sky. We were even higher than any of the trees around us and they were pretty tall. "Ino-chan, do you trust me?"

"Well yes, of course I do. Why do you ask?" I smiled when she said that. I pulled her by the arms so she was off my back. With one swift motion, I tossed her a lot higher into the sky. Ino screamed for her dear life. Okay, I really hope this works. I haven't done this in centuries. I pulled out a small vial from my tactical vest, uncorked it and dipped my finger inside the red liquid, which was actually my own blood. When I placed it back inside, I flashed five hand seals that I haven't done in ages.

"Ninpo: Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" I shouted as I pointed my palm below me. A huge puff of smoke appeared out of no where, as well as a massively giant frog. I landed on the frog's head and caught Ino as she fell. She was hyperventilating. Well, who wouldn't be after that little ordeal?

"Naruto-kun. What the hell was that for?!" she bellowed into my ear.

"Naruto-kun?? Uzumaki Naruto-baka!?!?" asked the toad below me. With one quick swipe, his hand grabbed us both from his hand and brought us to his line of vision. Frankly, I was rather surprised to see who it was. Damn he's gotten big... "Naruto-neechan! How have you been doing?"

"G-Gamakichi? What happened to the big guy?" I asked.

"Oh, he retired some centuries ago. I'm the new boss toad, as you can probably see," he said, pointing to his father's old pipe. "So, I'm a little surprised to see you again. I heard from a few of pops' old underlings that Konoha was destroyed and there's nothing left. That was 500 years ago. Toad summons live for a very long time but you humans don't. Tell me, how are you still alive? And while you're at it, how is the blond Yamanaka still alive too?"

"He... talks..." Ino said with a frightened tone. I looked to my girlfriend and smiled.

"Yeah. His name is Gamakichi, an old friend of mine from my shinobi days. Say hi to him, and don't worry either, he's friendly," I reassured. Ino cocked up an eyebrow at me, probably thinking of me as a deranged mad man for asking her to speak to a... a... giant talking toad. Ino looked to the massive red frog and waved a very stiff hand.

"Um.. hello?" she forcefully smiled. "How do you know my name?

"Eh? You don't remember me? I may not have been as popular as pops but come on. Naruto-neechan introduced me to all of you, once before," he said. Gamakichi placed us both on top of his head. We both sat down, Ino was holding on to me as if my life depended on it. I tapped Gamakichi on his head.

"Ne, Kichi, a lot has happened since any frogs were last summoned. I'm alive because of the Kyuubi. He's gone though and has been for a while now. He sacrificed his spirit so that I may live but the essence has fully vanished from my body. His essence allowed me to live for 500 extra years but with that now gone, this is my last life," I said. Gamakichi nodded slightly, smoking on his golden pipe.

"Alright. With that explanation, I can understand how you're still alive. I never thought of the Kyuubi as that kind of a generous demon but hey, things happen, things change, right? So what's with the Yamanaka chick? How is she still alive? And why doesn't she remember me?" he asked.

"Kichi, the Yamanaka Ino that you once knew is gone. She, along with the others have been gone for 500 years. This is her reincarnation and my girlfriend," I explaned.

"Girlfriend eh? What ever happened to your crush with that bubble gum-haired chick? Whatshername... Haruno Sakura?" he asked.

"Like you said, Kichi, things happen and things change. My feelings for her died out long before the annihilation of Konoha," I said.

"I see, I understand. But aside from that, I'm getting a couple of vibes from your new girlfriend. She has a strange liking into you. I don't know if she herself knows it but her body seems to be reacting upon yours. You see, her body is giving off a rare form of pheromones that I've only smelled around females. Long story short, she wants to mate with you. And trust me kid, I've been around female toads long enough to know this," he said. Ino's face flushed, her skin tone turning completely red. She looked to me as if waiting for my answer. Damn you, Kichi, why'd you have to go and say that?

"You must be mistaken, Kichi. You frogs and us humans are similar but not the exact same species, you know," I told him. The giant toad took another whiff of his pipe.

"Meh, possibly, but I'm rarely ever wrong about these things. You could be right though, I mean, she's your woman after all. Who else knows her better than you, right?" with that, Ino's face flushed again. Man, what's up with these toads? Ino held me tighter, not saying a word. Hold on... Wouldn't she be denying it if it's not true? Why isn't she saying anything? I can't be fear because I assured her that Gamakichi wouldn't hurt her. So.. could it be that what he's saying is true? Does she really want to shag with me? Man... as old as I am, I still think that it's a really odd concept. I read Ero-sennin's book once, when he wasn't looking. I imagined the sequence as I read it and it seemed so nasty.

"Ino-chan, don't be afraid."

"It's not that, Naruto-kun, it's what Gamakichi said about me. You know... he's sort of right," I flinched. "At first, I thought it was just lust or because you're my boyfriend, so I thought it would go away after a while. But the thing is, it didn't. After the frog said it, my body seemed to react to it. But just because I want to, doesn't mean I'm ready for it. However, when the time comes that I am mentally prepared for it, I want you to be my first."

"You're being serious, aren't you, Ino-chan?" I asked. Ino nodded slowly and looked away.

"As a girl, before we got together, I've lusted for other guys. But those feelings all went away after about a few days or even a good week. But you're different, Naruto-kun. It's not your appearance that I'm lusting for, although you are really good looking. I don't know, I think it's all those other things that make you who you are. Your kindness towards me, your affectionate responses, your gentle appeal, everything about you, I want that," she said, placing a hand on her chest and holding it tightly. She smiled softly and looked back to me. "Damn it, Naruto-kun. My heart wants it too."

"Are you sure about that? I mean, you could be wrong."

"I thought about that too, many times, Naruto-kun," she said, pressing her head on my chest. "After a good amount of contemplation, I landed on three solid facts. My body is willing, my mind is ready, and my heart wants you. All I'm waiting for now is my soul, and I'm not sure how much longer I have to wait. Every single cell in my body is calling out for you. I'm happy when I'm around you, but in a much different way than when I'm with others. I don't know if you're doing any of your jutsu things but I think I've literally fallen in love with you."

"And even if it is one of your jutsus, I hope you won't stop. This feeling... I like it. I didn't want to tell you any of this until much later when I'm sure of my feelings for you but I think that that day came a little sooner than I thought. This is a really weird feeling for me because I've never experienced it before, but you know what? I wholeheartedly accept it. I have fallen in love with you, Uzumaki Naruto-kun," she said. Looking me straight in the eye. I didn't think it would come this soon. She actually said that she loves me. I guess it's time I finally return the favor. I have been feeling it for a while now but it's as they say, ladies first.

"In.. love? You've never said that to me before.."

"I've never said it to anyone before.."

"Ino-chan..." I trailed off as I rested my body on the frog's head, pulling her to me. I could feel her exhaling on my mouth. I grazed her lips with mine, softly caressing the softer flesh with my own. I nibbled on her bottom lip with my lips until I couldn't take it anymore. I leaned up, and felt her pushing down, her lips softly against mine. Ino wrapped one of her legs around mine, searching for warmth. We kissed as if hungrily. She opened her mouth slightly, allowing my tongue to explore the caves within. Everything inside her mouth was soft, creamy, delicious, and I'm enjoying it.

"Hey, hey, hey, I'm still here you know. You are both making out on my head!" said the annoying frog. Ino and I stopped for a moment and looked down at him.

"Oh, shut up."

"Oh, shut up."

I took Ino back home, later that night. There's no school tomo-- erm.. today, so it's all good. I decided to spend the night at her place. I wanted to go to my house, but she was really insistent on letting me spend the night with her. We slept on the same bed, despite my innocent protests. And for those perverted minds up there, we kept it clean. Our clothes are still intact onto our bodies, minus a few pieces. The only thing she was wearing was her bra and jeans. I was only on my jeans too. We fell asleep after our bit of fun, her arms around my shoulders. I guess I have to thank Gamakichi for luring her in. Maybe next time.

__________________________________________________

The day following day passed quickly, but very blissfully. We were now waiting for our school bus to arrive to take us to our field trip location. A lot of students were happily chattering with each other. Our friends were quite excited as well. But we... we were silent, just smiling like goof balls. While we were being intimate yesterday, in the kitchen, Ino's father surprisingly came home. I rushed to put my clothes back on, as did she. Before her father was able to see us, I used the Hiraishin no Jutsu to flash out of there. It was really a close call and it could have been worse too, if he saw us, especially Ino being intimate with a boy. We decided to keep all intimacy at my house, since I live by myself. Tenten noticed our silence and glanced at our direction.

"You two love birds seem awfully quiet. Did something happen in the past two days?" she asked curiously. We both looked at each other at the same time, and then to her.

"We're good," I simply stated. Tenten crossed her arms over her chest and faced away from us, but at the corner of her eye, she was still looking at us, but mainly at me.

"Right... seeing your giggling faces, you probably mounted her," she said, trying to bait us out. And it worked..

"It's nothing like that, Tenten-chan!" said Ino.

"Yeah, Tenten, seriously. Besides, I think she would be the one to pounce at me, instead of the other way around," I said with a smile. Ino glared at me and removed her hand from mine, crossing her arms over her chest. Our other friends glanced at us, wondering what was with all the commotion. I wrapped my arms around my girlfriend's petite frame. "Hey, I'm only joking, kay?"

"Alright, I forgive you," she said, turning around to face me. "But don't you ever say that again, you hear me? I swear Naruto-kun, you're so insufferable."

"And you love me for it," Ino rolled her eyes and slithered her arms around my neck.

"Yes. I love you for it, Naruto-kun," she said. Our lips met gently after that. Everyone around us were cheering, not just our friends. It seems like we really are the hot topic of the year. I gave up hoping that these kids would mind their own business, because I know they won't. My being with Ino, one of the most popular girls in school, has been one of the hottest gossip topics ever since we even got together. I smirked at her, not caring that people were talking about us. I used to care, but not anymore. It feels like it's just me and Ino, and that's the way I like it. Eventually, our buses came and we were escorted inside.

We sat together, Ino being on the window side. A few of our friends were on the same bus with us, while the others were on different buses. Shikamaru, who was in a different homeroom, was still able to meet with us, as each bus is shared by two homerooms. Chouji sat with Shikamaru, Neji with Hinata, Kiba with Shino, and some others who I apparently can't find right now. During our time at class, before we even stepped outside to wait for the buses, Kurenai and the other teachers paired us up with random people. Each pair is to gather as much information about the trip as possible and write a book report about it, which is worth 15% of our history and literature grades.

Unfortunately, I wasn't paired up with Ino. Ino was paired with Tenten, who isn't too bad. Tenten's knowledge in history is quite similar to mine, which does kind of make me feel a little stupid, but it's all good. She can easily help Ino with her report. I am partnered up with Hinata. Not a bad choice either, but she has always been so timid around me, and still is, sort of. I hope I can work with her properly. As the buses started traveling, I found Ino falling asleep on my arms. I guess she wants to save as much energy as possible for the trip. We're going to be here for several hours, after all.

Ino rested on my lap, falling sound asleep on me. Sometimes I feel really fortunate to have someone like her. At first, I was really against having a girlfriend or even getting married for that matter, but I don't feel so against such decisions anymore. I can't believe I'm already thinking about marriage, we're still a fairly new couple after all. And we're still young, well she is, but I'm still pretty much 17, even though I can be technically considered as a sage. I wonder what we're even going to do once we graduate high school. With all my inheritance, I don't even have to go to college or work until the day I die. I wonder if she can move in with me... But I'd have to "meet" her father first.

"Ino-chan.."

"Mmm.. Naruto-kun, what is it?" she asked.

"What's your father like?"

"You've met him in his past life, right? Wouldn't he be pretty much the same?"

"Well, I suppose, but things can be different here, you know. What I mean is, what does he do for a living? What are his hobbies, talents, personal qualities, you know, that kind of thing," I said. Ino's eyes remained closed. "And what's your mom like? You've never talked about her before."

"And for a good reason. My mom and dad are divorced," she said.

"Oh.. sorry.."

"It's nothing to be sorry for. She said the same thing when she left him. I guess she just stopped loving him and started a new life. I don't know where she is now but I would like to meet her again. She left when I was about five years old," she explained softly.

"Well, at least you knew her. I never knew my parents. I've heard many stories about my father, but nothing about my mother. It may be a sad thought, but I have no memories of them. I would have loved to meet them, but my... well... adoptive grandfather and teacher, told me that he was a fine man with a knack for ramen, just like me," I said, remembering those days that Ero-sennin preached about the 4th Hokage, my old man. I want to be just like him. He loved his village and his people. He died to protect them, and that's the life I want to live. I love Ino, my friends, and my new home. I will die to protect this place. Ino turned to me, twisting her body to my direction. She placed a hand on my abdomen.

"I love you too, Naruto-kun. I'm glad that's how you feel about your new home and your friends," she said with a smile. I blinked twice.

"Did I just say all that out loud?" I asked, blushing.

"Not that loud, but loud enough for me to hear. Your father must really have been a great man," she said. I nodded accordingly, looking deep into her ocean-colored eyes. I bent down to claim her lips onto mine. I can never get tired of doing this. Kissing her always gives me a rare sensation that makes me want her more and more. Her lips are soft, really soft, and I love it. Her tongue tickled the concaves of my mouth. It really does feel good. I guess Ero-sennin was right after all. When I pulled away, I caressed her cheek for a few seconds, before pulling back up. She cuddled into me and closed her eyes, shifting her body to my direction.

"Hey, hey, hey Uzumaki. Having fun with Yamanaka-san?" asked Kiba, pulling up from the back to see me.

"Maybe. What's up?" I asked, almost wanting to strangle him for ruining my peace with Ino-chan.

"We're buddies now, right?"

"I gue--"

"Can you do me a favor?" he asked quickly, scooting closer to my ear. "I think you're a really good friend and maybe you can help me with something. There's this girl that I've liked for a while now but I don't think she looks at me the same way."

I rolled my eyes when he said that. In his past life, he's had a pretty big crush on Hinata. His crush for her was lighter than mine for Sakura, but I could still see it. I wonder if he's going to ask me to help him get with "this girl" just so he can get into her skirt. I know for sure that it's Hinata, but what the heck? I'll play along and see where this goes. Who knows? Maybe I'll actually enjoy helping him out. And because it's for a favor, I can hold him onto his word when I'm in a pinch. I don't think such a thing will happen but it never hurts to be careful. I do need something to fall back on. I turned my head slightly to him.

"Who's the unlucky girl, dog boy?"

"I told you not to call me that, Uzumaki," he replied, annoyed.

"Struck a nerve there, did I?"

"Shut your mouth. Anyway, the girl is Hinata-chan but she's one of my really good friends."

"So the problem is...?"

"That's just it. She considers me as "just a friend" and I need to find a way to get out of that ladder and into--"

"Her skirt?"

"I'm gonna kill you."

"Oh please don't. I don't want your rabies on my corpse," I chuckled. He narrowed his eyes at me. I love doing this with my friends. I never had the chance back in Konoha, since I wasn't really the brightest light bulb in the shack. Now that I'm smarter, watch out guys. I can counter your come backs. Kiba glared at me. I could feel his killing intent from his skin. Ticking him off is so much fun but I guess I shouldn't get into that habit.

"Look, will you help me or not?" he asked.

"Alright, alright. What do you want me to do?" I asked casually.

"She seems to like you, for some reason. Haruno-san told me that once. You're shagging with Yamanaka-san so I was wondering if you could tell her to back off of you and come to me, somehow," he said openly. I cocked up an eyebrow.

"And how do you expect me to do that?"

"Well, you're partnered up with her, right? Be creative and tell her what a cool guy I am and maybe she'll fall for me. If not, just improvise. Do what you did with Yamanaka. Girls think alike, right? Maybe she'll fall for that too," he said. My left eye began twitching. I have now just lost all faith and respect in this guy. I thought he would be some kind of player but I guess not. I thought about it for a while. Kiba is my friend, but he should get his own girl like everyone else does. Then again, there is still that favor that I'll have on his head, should I ever need it. I'm sure I'm going to slip somewhere along the road, while in this damn high school, and maybe if I scratch his back now, he'll scratch mine later.

"Fine, but you owe me one, Kiba," I said. Kiba smiled widely.

"Thanks Uzumaki. I knew I could count on you," he said, leaning back on his chair and struck a conversation with Shino. I turned back to Ino, who was still asleep, or so I thought. Her eyes were closed, but her breathing wasn't that steady. She's awake, that much I know. I placed a hand on her arm. She opened her eyes slowly, but didn't look my way. I wonder what's on her mind.. I hope it's nothing bad. She placed a hand on my thigh, resting it there.

"Naruto-kun.."

"Yeah?"

"Stay with me, please? No matter what happens, I need you by my side. Don't leave me alone like Uchiha-san did," she said. I narrowed my eyes. Okay, now I know something is wrong. Shit.. I'm getting a little scared now.

"Ino-chan, what's the matter?"

"N-nothing.. I just.. I'm worried that you'll leave me too, just like the rest of them did. You're not my first boyfriend, you know, and neither is Uchiha," she said. Hmm, well this is interesting.

"I thought you said--"

"I know what I said."

"So you lied to me..."

"I'm sorry. At the time, I thought you'd be the same as all the other guys."

"Does it really matter if I was?"

"A little."

"What do you think of me now?"

"You're the first one I said I love you to. Need I say more?"

"For the sake of the conversation and for lying to me, let's go with yes."

"I said I was sorry..."

"I know. I'm just messing around."

"Please don't. For now, let's be serious."

"What do you want me to say?"

"Speak your mind, I won't limit you to anything."

"I love you."

"Do you really?" she asked. I was a little stunned by that. I was just getting into the flow of the conversation, so why did she have to pull that one on me? Of course I love her. Okay, something is really wrong. Is she doubting the obvious fact that I do love her? And what's with this question answer thing? I really have to figure out what's going on around here. I don't like where this is going. Or... what if she's unconditionally, irrevocably, and genuinely in love with me? If that's how it is, then maybe she does have the right to be going through these emotions. We've already exchanged our I love yous, but I think she's just trying to reassure herself that I feel just as strongly as she does.

"Yes I do. What about you?"

"I love you too."

"Are you sure?" I asked. She was about to answer, when she closed her mouth instead. She sat up and loosened her tie, only to remove a necklace, placing it on her hand and looking at it. It had silver chains and looked very clean. There was a small, heart shaped thing on it. Engraved on the heart was the letter "Y" but only on one side. I've seen that before, when we were cuddling with our shirts off. Of course she still had a bra on, but that's beside the point. As she tightened her collar and her tie again, I noticed an imprint on her neck. The imprint was the same size as the chains on the necklace. I guess she's never really taken it off before, so why is she taking it off now? I got my answer when she placed it around my neck.

"That is a family heirloom, passed down to every daughter of my family. The entire thing is made of authentic silver and is crafted with 100 percent stainless steel. It belonged to my ancestor, probably the Yamanaka Ino that you knew in the past. It's very important to me and holds a lot of sentimental value. But you know what? So are you. That's why I want you to have it, as a sign of my love for you," she said. Okay, I regret ever doubting her love, if I ever did. I feel so guilty now. Ino placed the necklace under my shirt. I could feel the metal on my skin, it was still warm.

"Ino-chan, I can't take this."

"Yes you can, and yes you will. I love you, Naruto-kun, and I mean it from the bottom of my heart. When you first kissed me on the cheek, after playing that song for me in the bar, I felt something inside me. Every single cell inside me was telling me that you're the one... that I wish to spend the rest of my life with. I know you're going to say. You think you're dating a total weirdo. I mean, how could I possibly make that decision at this age? I understand though, if you feel that way about me. But this is how I feel about you, Uzumaki Naruto-kun," she said. "Every second, every minute, every hour of the day, it's you that I'm thinking of."

"Obsession much?" I asked, possibly ruining that beautiful speech, but it didn't seem to have its desired effect as she wrapped her arms around my neck. I placed my arms around her waist, not really controlling my arms at the moment. She leaned her forehead against mine, glancing to my lips for a second, and then back at me. A lot of her body weight was on me, but it's fine. She's not heavy at all anyway. She locked her legs onto one of mine. Making sure that her height wasn't so high that it would catch the attention of teachers, passengers, or the driver, my girlfriend smiled at me.

"No, Naruto-kun. It's called love."

__________________________________________________

Yay for Naruto and Ino! I'm really starting to like this story, the more I type it. Chapter 5 will include several twists, some of which are still flowing into my mind as I type this, and I'm close to tears, seriously! I think it's all that onion that I was chopping earlier but hey, who would believe that from a lame-o like me, right? The next chapter will finally be able to touch on that drama part that I promised for this story. There will be A LOT of drama, of that I can promise. I've already got chapter 5 and 6 in my brain. I just need to type it. It's too bad that my fingers don't type as fast as my brain works. If that were so, this story would be a lot farther than it is right now. Anyway, that's all for today. The next chapter will be up as soon as I can get it done.

Ja ne!


	5. Chapter 5

**Voice of the Wanderer  
**

**Naruto Fanfiction**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a single shred of Naruto.  
**

**Chapter 5: I Will Always Be With You  
**

__________________________________________________

After a good two and a half hour ride, the buses finally arrived at their destination. I looked out the window. Everything looked about the same as when I last left, a few centuries ago. The grasslands, the trees, the blue sky, everything. I once lived here and finally after so long, I'm back. The students in our bus all filed out of the vehicle. I held Ino's hand as we stepped down from the bus, taking in a breath of fresh air. I thought coming back here would be a bad idea, but it doesn't seem too bad anymore. I guess with Ino here, I have something to avert my attention from. Too bad we couldn't spend another few minutes in that bus though. I was just getting so comfortable.

When everyone had filed out of the buses, the yellow vehicles left us. We were given instructions by the chaperones to meet up with our partners for the history and literature assignment that we were responsible for completing during this field trip. Ino gave me a good bye kiss as she met up with Tenten. I do wish her luck in this assignment. I met up with Hinata, who was talking to a few of her friends whom I didn't know of. She smiled at me, probably eager to start the assignment, just as I am. This is the perfect way to bury my past and make new memories with my new life. Hinata approached me with a smile.

"Naruto-kun, it's a pleasure to be working with you," she said sweetly. Her voice always was sweet, even in the past. When everyone got with their groups, our attention was caught by a man with a yellow shirt and cargo shorts. He was holding up a microphone so we could all hear his announcement. I guess he's one of the tour guides around here. Not like I'll need one, but I suppose the others would.

"Attention senior class of Kono high school. We at Konohagakure are pleased to have you visiting us today. According to your staff, your stay here will be up until 7:30pm. It is now 10:00am. Right now, we are outside the village. Shortly, you will be escorted inside the village, where you can drop off your scholastic equipment into our lockers, taking only what you will need while sight seeing or gathering information for your assignment. It is your responsibility to return to the village at 12:00pm for lunch, which will last for an hour and a half. Afterward, you will continue your time here until dinner at 5:30pm. At 6:25pm, your buses will arrive to take you back to school," he said.

"Sounds like a plan," I said to myself. Hinata noded. We were all escorted inside the village by the tour guides. Instead of the old Konohagakure that I was hoping to see, what I saw was a little different. Although there were some modernized factories, just about everything remained the same. I was quite glad for that. Some of the citizens wore the clothing from back then, some wore kimonos, while others wore the regular shirt and jeans. Those who wore that were most likely tourists as well. Hinata and I dropped our school bags inside our designated lockers and started our assignment. She took her camera out and began taking pictures.

I took a bit of pictures myself, but only for the sake of the assignment. I recognize most of the land marks here, as some of them are actually a bit more different now. One of the only things that remained the same was the Hokage monument that was carved out of the mountains, overlooking the entire village. When I looked to it, I smiled at the faces, especially baa-chan's face. All of them have truly become immortal beings. Their faces will forever remain on those mountains as a sign of thanks for their services as the Hokages of Konoha. Hinata caught wind of what I was looking at and flashed a few snapshots at the Hokage monument.

"Those faces are very beautifully carved, aren't they, Naruto-kun?" she asked. I nodded. She took out her notebook and began sketching the faces there. "We should ask some villagers about those faces. I'm sure that information would come in handy for our report."

"I know it will but instead of asking them, I took the liberty of learning about them myself," I said. It wasn't a total lie. Actually it was the god-honest truth. I pointed at the fourth face from the right. It was the face of my greatest hero. "You see that face right there? That's the face of my ancestor, Namikaze Minato."

"Ah yes, that's right!" she exclaimed excitedly. "I heard from Asuma-sensei that you are the only remaining descendant from the people who lived in this village. Because of that, I have a lot of questions for you, Naruto-kun, regarding our assignment. How about this, I ask the questions, you answer, and I'll jot them all down? Your information should at least come close to matching what the villagers say here, which saves us the trouble of having to ask them."

"Sounds good to me."

"Alright, first question. Why are their faces carved on that mountain? And second question, who are they? Third question, what is their importance to the village of Konoha?" she asked. Wow, three questions right off the bat, but I know the answers to all of those simple questions.

"Let's start from the far left. That man is Hashirama Senju, the first Hokage. A hokage is essentially the village leader. He makes all of the decisions that the village has to abide by. You see, Konoha, as well as several other villages around it, trained military units called ninja. Ninjas are masters of stealth and assassination and each village has different teachings when it comes to raising their military forces. Shinobi training is optional, thus someone can live as a shinobi or a regular citizen. Anyway, Hashirama Senju was responsible for the founding of the village of Konoha, the first one anyway."

"The one to his right is his younger brother, Tobirama Senju. Both brothers are part of the noble Senju clan, a powerful family of shinobi with gifted talents in the art of something called ninjutsu. If you cut that word in two, you get nin and jutsu. Nin is basically a short term for ninja. Jutsu means technique, so you get ninja technique. Shinobi are male ninja, while female ninjas are called kunoichi. Tobirama Senju is responsible for the founding and training system of Konoha's first successful military unit. Out of all the other villages around Konoha, it is said that Konoha is the village with the most powerful ninja."

"The third one is one of the strongest out of them all. His name is Hiruzen Sarutobi. I believe it's something of a coincidence that our former principal, Sarutobi-sensei shares the same name as this man, but that's of little importance to our assignment. Hiruzen-sama is known as known as "the man who has mastered the way of the shinobi" and for a good reason too. As his reputation mentions, he has mastered the arts of ninjutsu; ninja techniques, taijutsu; combat techniques, and genjutsu; illusion techniques. Few people know this, but before his time as hokage, he taught three special individuals from Konoha, known as the legendary sannin or genius ninja."

"Sannin? What are they?" she asked, scribbling on her notebook as she listened to my words.

"The three sannin are very powerful ninjas who all spawned from Konoha. The first one and my absolute favorite, is a man known as the toad sage, Jiraya," I said. Hinata stopped writing and looked to me with a confused gesture.

"You mean our substitute physical education teacher?" she asked.

"Well, they have the same name, but I assure you, they're not the same person. This sannin, Jiraya, was a master at gathering information. He has very useful stealth type ninjutsu that he uses to stay hidden as he spies on enemy territory. He has white hair, has a taste for sake, and loves women who are younger than him. The second one is a woman named Tsunade, another person who shares the same name as someone in our faculty. Tsunade's mastery in the healing arts and insane superhuman strength has made her a legend in her time. Her cunning wits, sharp mind, and titanic strength are powerful forces to be reckoned with."

"Uh huh, ok. But there's one more right?" she asked curiously. I gritted my teeth at this last one.

"Yes. The last one is a man named Orochimaru. He was probably the most powerful out of all of them. Bright, curious, always wanting to learn more, and very passionate when it comes to learning ninjutsu. But unlike the other two, he went down an evil path. He kidnapped villagers and used them for his twisted experiments. Hiruzen Sarutobi-sama and some of his loyal guards eventually found him in his secret hideout, exposing him for who he really is. A defiled man with twisted ambitions. Sarutobi-sama had the chance to kill him right there, but he didn't. That mistake would then haunt him later on though, as Orochimaru invaded the village with his own army, years later, only to kill his former teacher, Sarutobi-sama."

"Oh my gosh, Naruto-kun. You tell these stories like you actually lived through them. I'm not sure if what you're saying is accurate, but the way you tell it makes it seem so. How do you know these things anyway?" she asked. Oh crap, I think I need to tone down on the vivid explanations. I just got so into it that... damn it, I have to stop saying so much. I have to come up with a lie, something to cover this whole thing up.

"Well Hinata-chan, as a descendant of Namikaze Minato, my family holds these stories dear to them and gave it the extra effort to tell it to the next generation, me. I always loved these stories. They told them to me for bedtime, very often. That's probably why it sounds so real when I say it. But I can assure you, I haven't lived through those days. What would that make me? 517 years old? That's preposterous," I said with a light chuckle. Hinata giggled as well and continued writing the notes down. I'm gonna go straight to hell for this. Why am I always placed into predicaments where I have to lie to women? Why can't I just lie to men? I don't like it, but it would be a nice change for once.

"Anyway, the one after him is my ancestor, Namikaze Minato. He is someone I wish to have known. According to my relatives, he was the hero of this village. He was brimming with talent, a powerful shinobi with spectacular skills and the need to protect his village and his people. During the great shinobi war, he was responsible for decimating entire armies of ninjas with a single ninjutsu that he created and perfected. A lot of my relatives say I look just like him but I think it's just because of my spiky blond hair and blue eyes. Namikaze Minato was famous for several things, one of which was his title, the Yellow Flash. This name was given to him because of his technique and performance in the great shinobi war."

"As he performs his technique, the only thing you see before you die or fall into a state of unconsciousness is a flash of yellow. Many believe that this is because of his blond hair. My eldest relatives say that he should have been called the Blond Flash but Yellow Flash sounds a lot cooler. And..." I stopped myself at that. I don't think anyone needs to know that he died because he defeated a mighty demon fox known as Kyuubi. "And... he died at a fairly young age, due to some type of incurable illness. At the time, there were no cures for it, but now, I'm sure we could have saved his life."

"What a tragic end for someone so great..." said Hinata, sighing to herself.

"Yeah. And lastly, the final face on that mountain belongs to none other than one of the sannin and the one who shares the same image, name, and likeness as our very own principal, Tsunade-him," I said.

"She was a princess?"

"Well, yeah. Her grandfather was the first hokage, Hashirama Senju. In addition to that, her granduncle was Tobirama Senju. If her royal bloodline isn't enough, her skills as a kunoichi will blow you away. Her assistance in the great shinobi wars, along with her healing arts and capabilities, she was a widely seen and renown figure in the kunoichi world, at the time of course. Many kunoichi looked to her with admiration but if you knew her personally, she's not really that great of a woman. Her breath always reeks of sake, she carries those monstrous things she calls breasts, and she uses genjutsu to make herself look like someone in her late twenties instead of an old woman in her fifties... man, that old bag is one of a kind."

"Naruto-kun, you're doing it again. Now I'm curious, do you know these people?" she asked. Shit! What the hell is wrong with me?! I placed my hands behind my head, laughing hysterically.

"No, of course not. I'd have to be dead to have known them. They lived centuries ago, remember?" I asked. She nodded at that. After I finished talking about the leaders of Konoha, Hinata and I talked to some of the villagers who were around, as well as the tour guides. To my surprise, my information remains to be quite accurate. We bought some ice cream and decided to continue gathering information outside. Hinata took pictures of the landscape, the mountains, trees, grasslands, forests, and even some birds.

It was at around this time that I remembered the promise I made to Kiba, or rather the favor that I said I'd do for him. He has a crush on Hinata and wants me to put in a good word for him. But if those two are such good friends, why can't he tell her himself? I don't understand these things... maybe that's why I'm not dead yet, because I have unfinished business. As Hinata continued taking her pictures, I turned to her, ready to straighten this whole thing out. But first, I need to know something that's been bugging me for a while.

"Hinata-chan.. do you mind if I ask you a personal question?" I asked. She turned to face me. She placed her camera back in her pack.

"I don't mind, Naruto-kun. What do you need to know?"

"Well... is there someone in your life who you currently like right now?" Hinata blushed, fiddling with her fingers. I always wondered why she did that. She did in the past and she's still doing it now.

"Um.. as a matter of fact, there is such a person.."

"Really? Do I know him?"

"I believe so," she said, twisting her body back and forth, a inching its way across her mouth. She looked away from me, and then back into my eyes. "But I have a feeling that you may not approve of him, Naruto-kun."

"Huh? Why would you need my approval? Is he a bad influence?"

"On the contrary, not at all. I've only known him for a short amount of time but I have already developed certain attractions toward him. He's strong, kind, patient, always smiling, and very influencial to others. I believe he has changed my way of living and thinking, for the better. He has given me the courage to be anyone that I want to be, only if I will believe in myself. At first, I couldn't do such a thing but he believes in me. He somehow has it inside his mind that I can be a great person, only if I will believe. It used to only be such a fantasy for me, but no longer," she said. I nodded in understanding.

"He sounds like a great guy, Hinata-chan."

"He is, but I doubt he'd have any interest in me. You see, I believe I am already too late. In my shyness to tell him how I felt about him, someone else has already claimed his heart. That other person is a friend of mine but I really want him to see me the way he sees her. I consider her to be very fortunate to have him in her life but sometimes, I do wish that it is me who he views in such a light," she said sadly. I pressed my lips together, tilting my head to the side. Now I really wonder just who in the world this guy could... hang on. What was it that the Hinata in Konoha said when she protected me from Pein? My eyes widened in fear upon the sudden realization. I looked into her eyes, biting my lips.

"Hinata-chan... this person... who is he?" I have to know. I really have to know now. Please don't let her say what I think she's going to say. She looked up to me, unsure what to say at first, I could tell by the lack of certainty in her eyes.

"Naruto-kun... the person I admire the most is... you," she said. I inwardly cringed at that. It's just as I thought. Alright, this is definitely not good, but I think I understand now. She died with the regret that she wasn't able to tell me in a more proper manner. That regret probably carried onto her life as of now. I placed my hands on her arm, now it is my turn who is unsure of what to say. I searched her eyes, hoping for a joke in her intentions, but I could find nothing. I don't want to have to hurt her, but I can't be with her. This might sting a bit, but I can't please everyone.

"Hinata-chan... but you know that my heart belongs to Ino-chan, right? I love her and she loves me back. It's been that way for a while now," I said. I hope she'll take this the right way. A few seconds later, those hopes went down the drain. She pushed my hands away with hers, glaring at me with such anger that I've never yet seen in her eyes, this life or the one before it. This was bound to happen, and it's only natural that it would happen now.

"You love her? Do you really mean that? She fell for you after you sang one song for her, ONE! That's not true love, it's only an infatuation. When I first met you, I felt the exact same thing, but something happened with me that was different with Ino-chan. I allowed my feelings for you to grow. I wanted to be sure that my feelings for you are true. I know I didn't react fast enough and perhaps I should have, but is it really her who loves you? Or is it a one-sided love?" she said to me, anger rising.

Why does this have to happen to me? I knew there were signs, I knew there were obvious gestures, so why have I never seen them? It's not that I want to go back in time and relive those days, but I wish I hadn't been so blind. When the Hyuuga Hinata of the past sacrificed her life for me, she also said that she was in love with me. I heard rumors from people of her affections for me, but I never took heed of it. But that isn't my life anymore. I have someone else now and... no... I have to end this once and for all.

"Hinata-chan... those feelings that I have for Ino-chan are nothing short of the genuine truth. I know I'm only 17 years old, still at the prime of my teenage life, but I am fully aware of what love is. I know what you may be thinking, that I'm still young and can't possibly know a thing about love. But I've had my share of feelings for other people. I know what it's like to love and to be loved. I know that if I love someone and say it, it isn't just coming out of my mouth, but from my heart."

"The way I feel about her is something that I would easily call love. And I didn't fall in love with her at first sight either. When she asked me if I had feelings for her, sure, I did at the time, but they weren't strong enough to be called love. Like you, I allowed my feelings to grow, however, I allowed them to grow while already in her arms. She made me feel like love wasn't something to throw away, just because we live in an unjust society."

"In time, I grew to realize that I really did have feelings for her, and not just simple affections that boys feel for girls, or vice versa. Over time, I began to truly accept my feelings for her as not just a mere crush, not just simple lust, but authentic feelings of something that I had not felt in years. Gradually, I started to fall in love with her," I said. Hinata was silent all throughout that, and I'm glad that she was. It was silent  
between us for a few moments, until she decided to speak.

"I..." she trailed off. She opened her mouth again, after another few seconds. "Never mind. You're right and I understand now. I thought you were the type who would meaninglessly throw that three-word phrase like nothing, but I realize that I'm the one who is mistaken. You are a lot wiser than your age tells others, Naruto-kun. I guess that's one of the reasons why I started to fall for you. I know now that I'm too late and I suppose I'll just have to accept things the way they are."

I took the girl into an embrace, wrapping my arms around her shoulders. I began to feel warm tears coming from her eyes, seeping into my shirt. She's sad, and it's partly my fault, but this is the life I live. No matter what I do, no matter how careful I am with my actions, I can never seem to please everyone. Something I do will always negatively affect those who I care about. I hope there's something I can do to make her feel better. I pulled away later.

"Hinata-chan, if there's anything I can do to help you to cope with this, just let me know," I said. Even in the past, she's always been good to me. Now, centuries later, our fate remains the same. We're not together and I don't think we ever will be, and yet, I hold no regrets. I just hope that she can get passed this, and I hope I will be able to help her out. She stopped her tears, after a few inhales, and then began to breathe steadier.

"Well, there is one thing."

"What's that?"

"I've already missed my chance to be with you, Naruto-kun, and I think that's something that I will end up regretting for a long time. However, there's something else that I've been wanting for a long time that only you can give me," she said. I wonder what that could be. And why is it that only I can give it to her? What's so special about me? "Naruto-kun..."

"Yeah?"

"This may sound like an unreasonable request, and something that you may not go for, but it's my final wish, I suppose. I just want, for a single moment, to feel what Ino-chan feels," she said. Now I'm really starting to get a little curious, as well as a bit edgy. I'm still a bit bewildered at the thought that I'm the only one who can give it to her. She wants what Ino feels... and only I can... no, that can't be right. Hinata should know that I'm not kind of person who would betray the people that I love.. at least, the Hinata from the past was like that. I really hope I'm over thinking this. Hinata looked through my eyes, as if searching for something. "I want, just one kiss, from you."

Electricity seemed to flow from my spine and all throughout my whole body, when I heard that. I can't do that, it would be betraying Ino! But then again, I do owe Hinata. She was my first friend when I came into this world and that kind of position should amount for something. But why that request out of all others? And in addition to that, why here of all places? Even if I agreed to this absurd request, it wouldn't be out here. People will see me, most of all Ino. She would never forgive me, even if I try to explain to her. Wait, did that thought just pass through my head? Did I just consider giving Hinata what she wanted?

"Hinata-chan... I can't. If it's anything else besides that, I would go for it easily because I want to make you happy. But not that, anything but that. I don't want to betray Ino. I'm sorry, but I can't fulfill your request," I said.

"Please, Naruto-kun? Look around you, there's no one out here who will see us. The others are at least a mile away and Ino-chan and Tenten-chan are still taking pictures of the mountain with the five faces of Konohagakure's past leaders. I know I might sound a little desperate right now, but I at least want to be able to tell myself that I shared a kiss with the first person to make me feel this way," she said. I inwardly sighed at that. Why do these things have to happen to me? I don't want to hurt her by refusing her request, but I did say that I would try to do something to make it up to her and it doesn't look like she wants anything else but this. I looked around me.

There's nothing, no living thing around us that can see me commit a crime. It's a crime for a boy to kiss another girl when he's already with a different girl, his own girlfriend no less. I guess I would be able to understand it if I were cheating on Ino, but I'm not. I wonder if this counts as cheating... baka, of course it does! But if it wasn't for my ignorance, this could have been avoided. Or maybe it couldn't be. Even if I dated Hinata instead, at least one of the others would be in Hinata's position right now, I know it. Fate loves to me around with me. It knows that I've cheated death for 500 years and wants to get back at me for it. I looked back to the Hyuuga.

"Alright, but just one kiss. And please don't tell Ino-chan or anyone else for that matter. She would die from a heart break if she heard this," I said. Hinata nodded, accepting the promise. She entangled her arms around my neck, as I placed my hands around her waist. Her figure reminds me of Ino's, only Ino is a slight bit slimmer, but that's not to say that Hinata's waistline is laughable either. I took a step towards her, making sure that there was little space between us. I slowly bent down, capturing her lips into a kiss. Not bad at all... her lips are really soft, much like Ino's. I inwardly shook my head. Why am I comparing her to my girlfriend? What in the world is wrong with me?

This feeling... why does it feel so good? Of course kissing Ino is a whole lot better, but why does my body tell me that this isn't so bad either? She deepened the kiss, tip-toeing up, pressing her lips harder against mine. Although the kiss was hard, it was also soft and gentle. I opened my mouth slightly, resulting in her saliva going into my mouth. I didn't want to spit it out, making the kiss a very regretable one, so I decided to meld some of my saliva into it and swallowed it so the taste wouldn't be so foreign. Oh my god... I'm such a bad boyfriend! I just swallowed another girl's saliva!

The kiss was lasting for more than 10 seconds now. What in the world is wrong with me? I should have pulled away already and yet I'm still here, we're still here, locked in this cursed position that I should only share with Ino. I can only hope that she doesn't catch wind of this. A small peck on the lips to anyone else but her would be enough to make her cry. But this... 10 seconds of this... and if she should ever know... I might as well murder myself in a painfully agonizing death. I would rather do that than catch a short glimpse of the sadness in her face, not to mention the rage and fury of Kiba for... KIBA?! Oh no, I've completely forgotten about Kiba's favor! I pulled away as soon as the opportunity presented itself, but slow enough to make it all look convincing.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun. Now I can live the rest of my life knowing that my first kiss was shared with the one I truly admired. And don't worry, this kiss remains only within our lips," she said. That made me cringe a bit. That was her first kiss? And it was with me?! Oh shit... I'm going straight to hell for this. In any case, I suppose it's time to tell her that other thing that I wanted to mention. I just hope she would give him the same chance as she had given me.

"Hinata-chan, I'm glad that you can live the rest of your life that way, but now I think it's time that I ask you something. It's not a favor of any sort but something to think about. You see, I've stumbled across someone who's taken a considerate liking into you, possibly rivaling the feelings that you had for me," I started.

"Is that so? Who is it?" she asked, stumbled in thought.

"If only that guy would only show some gestures or obvious signs, then maybe someone like you wouldn't be asking that question. The one I'm talking about is none other than Inuzuka Kiba," I replied. Hinata tilted her head at me, eying me with eyes of confusion.

"But he knows that we're just friends and that's the only way I'll ever see him as."

"Well, maybe, but you'd be surprised how a guy feels when their friend happens to be a girl and very attractive," I told her. I thought about that statement for a moment, looking back into the past. I told myself back then that I would try to forget about the past but upon meeting everyone's reincarnations and getting to know them, I've given up on that internal request. I remember that Neji and Tenten were just teammates and nothing more than that. But sure enough, Neji grew the balls to ask her on a date and she accepted. Tenten was definitely a gorgeous one, being one of the few kunoichi to ever take her training seriously. Now that I think about it, I guess what I just said wasn't a total amount of bullshit after all.

"Well... I definitely don't see him that way, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to give him a chance. You and I may never have a chance to be together and I won't do a single thing to push it. I want you to be happy, Naruto-kun," she said. If Kyuubi were still sealed inside me, he would be lecturing me about missing out on such a wonderful young woman. I think so too, but I've moved on. Although this is my first life, and the others are in their second, I've learned a great deal about life. I've been alive for over 500 years after all.

"Thank you, Hinata-chan. I want you to be happy too, and this is one of the best things I can come up with. And this way, two people will be happy instead of one. Even if you don't like him on the first day, the others will be better, I promise."

"Alright. I will give him a chance, but not because you asked me to, but for other reasons that I myself don't know. Anyway, we should be getting back into the village. It's almost time for lunch and I heard from Asuma-sensei that our meals were prepared by the very citizens of Konohagakure. It would be a shame to not accept their offerings," she said. I nodded as we made our way back to the village. When we arrived, many people were already there, munching their way at their lunches. I walked Hinata to Kiba, who was eating with Chouji and Shikamaru. At first, she was hesitant, but tapped him on the shoulder. He turned to face her and was already flushing red. I winked to him and walked away, deciding to find my own lover. I looked around for a while, but she wasn't hard to find. There aren't many blonds in Japan after all.

"Naruto-kun!" she shouted, leaving Tenten's side. I turned around slowly, only to be met with the blond's arms around my torso. I wrapped one arm around her back and one on the back of her head. I held her tightly, as if afraid that she would go away. Her body slightly twitched when I hugged her this way. If she were to learn about what I did behind her back, she might really go away, and that's something that I'd like to prevent. Ino pulled away after a few seconds, searching through my eyes, as if preparing to ask a question. I should be smiling, happy to see her, but what I did was still fresh inside my mind. She cupped my cheek, now looking worriedly.

"Are you okay? You look like you just killed someone," she said. Wow.. how the hell does she do that? I didn't literally kill anyone, it's more of something that may happen in the future. If she does find out somehow, she will be the one to die, and it will be all my fault. She'll die a painful death, not through a physical injury, but an internal one. Internal injuries are often the most difficult to heal, and the most painful, granted it doesn't immediately kill the person. I know what will happen. She will die of a heart break. I know I have to answer her question and for the second time today, I know I'm going to hell. I'm going to have to lie to her again, one of the things I've dreaded doing.

"No, it's nothing. I'm just really happy to see you again," I said. Damn, that doesn't sound very convincing at all. Ino narrowed her eyes slightly, not completely buying what I had just said and I don't blame her. I wouldn't buy what I just said if my own shadow clone told me.

"You're centuries old, that much I understand. But in this era, happiness is usually combined with smiling or something of the sort. Tell me, what is it? What happened?" she asked. I can't lie to her again, not in the same life time. I already hate myself for doing this, but I don't want to have to hurt her with my stupidity. I should never have kissed Hinata, what was I thinking? I should have been able to think of an alternate route to repaying her kindness. I did the unthinkable, and now I'm cursed with these stupid memories. She cant, she must not know about it. I have to keep lying to her, but I have good intentions, so hopefully that will balance my good and evil scale.

"I wasn't smiling? Oh, I thought I was, sorry," I said, faking a forced smile. Geez, even forced smiles have to be faked these days?

"You're not lying to me, are you? If there's anything wrong with you, I don't want to be the last to know about it, okay?" she asked. Man.. why does she always have to put me on the spot? Then again, who's to say that I don't deserve this? If she won't smite me, then fate will, and it hurts so much more when he does it because he does it through her hands.

"Yeah, for sure. There's nothing wrong with me, you have nothing to worry about, I promise," came my rather lame reply. As lame as it was, she seemed to buy into it. She removed her hand from my cheek and embraced me again.

"Okay. Since you never lie, I'll trust you like I always have. I know you would never lie to me or keep anything from me, Naruto-kun," she said happily. I returned the embrace, forcing my arms to move. My breathing started to become hard. Is my body failing on me? Oh, I know why, I'm undergoing too much stress! I have to stop thinking about it. It was just one kiss, and only to make Hinata happy. Perhaps I shouldn't have done it, perhaps there was another way out of it, but it's done now. What's done is done and can't be undone. If that were possible, I would go back in time to save my friends from their deaths. She pulled away after a few seconds, smiling at me.

"Hey, let's go under that tree over there, behind you," she said, pointing at a tree that was indeed behind me. It was vacant, provided a lot of shade, and seemed perfect for a couple. "Actually, why don't you go over there and save the spot for us? I'm going to pick up our lunches."

I nodded as we went our separate ways. I made my way to the designated spot and collapsed on the grassy patch, looking up at the leaves on the tree. I closed my eyes, focusing my energy on listening to everything that was around me. I could hear people laughing, talking, and playing. It kind of reminds me of those days when I was still young, playing with the others, not having a care in the world. I heard Kiba's annoying voice, causing Hinata to laugh. I'm glad she's having fun. That son of a mutt owes me big time. I just hope he doesn't learn that I own Hinata's first kiss. Speaking of which, I'm going to have to tell Ino at some point, but I'm not sure I can handle her reaction.

She'll be angry, confused, and over all, hurt. She's going to stare at me with those cold eyes, wishing for an explanation that I just won't be able to give. Or rather, I can give it but I doubt she would listen to me. I mean, what loyal boyfriend goes out, kissing another girl? Who cares what the reason is? I'm such an idiot, why did I have to do that?! I closed my eyes, sighing at myself. I spent a good few minutes berating myself, while my eyes were still closed. I could look at anything right now. I feel like my world is falling apart. Damn it, I don't think I can handle this. I thought I'd be able to, I didn't think it would be this hard, but it's all crashing down on me. I need her now.. I need Ino.

"I need you too, Naruto-kun," said a familiar voice. I opened my eyes, sitting up to face Ino, who was standing right in front of me. She walked to my side, sitting her self down. She gave me a bento box, and opened hers. The food looked really delicious on her bento box. I wonder what I have. I opened my lunch, revealing some ramen with broth of course, chicken, beef, and pork. She knows what I like and I love that about her. Ino had a rice, teriyaki, and some sushi. I picked up my chop sticks and began eating, all the while trying to force those memories out of my head. We ate in silence, but it was fine, at least for me.

"Hey, you're being pretty quiet," she said. She placed her lunch down, next to her and looked to me with some sadness in her eyes. "Look.. I won't force you to tell me what's going on, but I will ask you. It's your choice to tell me or not but I really wish you would. I don't like being kept in the dark, especially by you. So, please tell me, Naruto-kun, what's bothering you? Whatever it is, if you tell me right now, I promise not to get mad, if that's what you're worried about. I won't look at you in any other way than I do right now. So please just tell me. I know there's something wrong and I want to be able to help you."

"I..." trailed right off. I placed my lunch to the side as well. I looked down, not looking her way. Maybe I should just tell her. She seems to really want to know. But what if things don't go the way I want them to? What if she goes on hating me for the rest of her life, and what remains of mine? I don't want her to hate me, but she's right. I shouldn't keep her in the dark and yet that's what I'm doing now. Is it really for her own good? Do I really have her best interest in mind while keeping secrets from her? Especially one of this magnitude? I shouldn't keep any secrets but what I did... I don't want her to see me in any other way.

"I... Hinata and I stumbled upon the place where I buried my old friends, upon their deaths," I said, catching her attention. I'm such a coward, such a spineless wimp. In the end, I couldn't do it. I just couldn't do it. I turned to face her. "I buried them all, around that black, obsidian, memorial stone in the middle of a clearing. That place used to be my training ground with my friends. Their names are all written on that stone, but in a language that only shinobi are educated in."

"If that's the case, then let's go there right now," she said, standing up. She pulled me up. We were about to go to the memorial stone, when I remembered that our bento boxes were still where we left them. I picked them both up and returned them to the villagers. After that, Ino grabbed my hand, pulling me to her. "Ino-chan, why are we going there?"

"If it's a place that holds a lot of bad memories, you should go there. Let all of your tears and sorrow escape your body. It's not healthy for you, or anyone else for that matter, to keep your sadness inside your heart. We'll stay there for as long as it takes to make you feel better again. Tenten is taking care of our project for today. I'll pick it up from her house and continue it myself tomorrow. As for today, I want to spend it making you feel better," she said. What did I ever do to deserve such an amazing girlfriend? I don't even think I'm all that great of a person to be with, yet she chooses to be with me. I'm not forcing her to date me, she's doing it out of her own free will.

We dashed through the village, passing all of our peers, the villagers, and some of the teachers that we met along the way. Ino seemed to know where she was going, so I didn't bother to direct her. Instead, as we passed each person, a piece of them seemed to reverberate into my mind. A memory of their past life, a moment that I spent with them, all smashed their way into my head. And the funny part was, I allowed it. I didn't want to push it away anymore. They're memory is every bit a part of my life as my own blood. The times I shared with them, the lessons I learned from them, the love I gained from them, all made me into who I am today.

They all smiled at me, but I don't think we're on the same page. I was about to look back ahead, when I noticed something different. I thought I was dead, but I could still feel Ino's touch, my legs moving, my blood pumping, and my heart beating. I don't know if it's because I've been eating more vegetables than ramen lately, but as I passed each of them, I could see an image of the people that they were, according to their past lives. They weren't just images, more like ectoplasmic chunks of fog that escaped their present bodies. The "ghosts" followed after me, smiling at me. When we reached our destination, the ghosts vanished. I couldn't see them at all. Where did they go?

"Naruto-kun.. here we are.. take all the time you need," she said, taking a few steps back to give me some space. The wind began to blow around me, the leaves swirled around my presence like a miniature, yet calmer, tornado. It wasn't vicious at all, more like tranquil and peaceful. I looked towards the memorial stone, walking forward to it. Im actually surprised that it was still here after all these years. I trailed a hand on it. Suddenly, I felt my legs getting weak. I couldn't even carry myself anymore. My legs shook, trembled, until my body fell, with only my knees to support me. I placed my forehead on the memorial stone, feeling tears threatening to escape from my eyes. Ino is right, I have to let it all go. With one swift motion, all of my tears were released, as well as a fairly loud wail.

"You wanna try screaming a little louder, dobe? I don't think the others heard you," said a voice. My eyes widened, I know that voice. But how can that be? He was back with Shino and Neji, talking about their assignment. I looked to the side and there he was, in the very same sound village outfit that he wore on the day of our battle. But something was different about him. He was smiling at me.

"S-Sasuke..."

"You look like you've seen a... oh, that's right, sorry," he said. I slowly stood up, forcing my legs to start working again. It was a bit of a strenuous effort, but I finally pushed a bit of energy into my legs. I stood up, facing him. We're about the same height now. And here I thought I was a little taller. I reached for him and was surprised at what I felt. It was his shoulder, solid flesh. What's going on here?

"Before you ask, moron, I'm not really here. I'm dead, remember?" he asked.

"I'm so sorry, Sasuke.."

"Don't be. In fact, I should be the one who's sorry. I never got the chance to properly apologize that day, so many years ago. I was so consumed with anger and hatred for our home village that I lost myself. But I suppose that now is as good a time as any. Dobe-- erm.. Naruto.. I'm sorry," he said, taking me in a full embrace. Sasuke's arms, his touch, I can feel it all. But how can this be possible? I fought with him and killed him, 500 years ago. When he pulled away, my eyes were still on him.

"Sasuke.. how is it possible that you're here? I killed you, I know I did," I said. Before I was able to get my answer, one by one, they all started appearing around us. My eyes widened, looking to them all. Sakura-chan, Kakashi-sensei, Ero-sennin, Baa-chan, Shizune-neechan, everyone... they're all around me, looking and appearing the same way as the day of Konoha's destruction. They all looked as real as Sasuke does. I don't get it, what's going on here? Just as I was about to react to my shock, Baa-chan walked over to me. She retreated an arm from her sleeve and wiped my tears.

"Stop crying already, brat. We're not here for a sob fest from you," she said.

"So why are you here? And how?" I asked. I have to know.

"Look around you. This is Konoha, you home, our home. This is where we've been, waiting for the right time for you to return again. We've been here for 500 years because we all had unfinished business. We were offered Kami's hand, a ticket to heaven, but we refused. None of us wanted to go to heaven until we saw you again. On top of that and as you can probably notice by now, time has stopped," she said. I looked to Ino-chan, who was standing motionlessly, looking at me. I walked over to her, walked around her, but she remained stationary. I waved my hand in front of her face, but she wasn't moving. Time really had stopped. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to face the Ino of the past.

"My reincarnation looks really cute, doesn't she, Naruto?" she asked. Reincarnation... oh right!

"If she's your reincarnation, you should be in heaven, or rather... wait, I'm confused. How is all this possible?" I asked. Ero-sennin coughed, gaining my attention.

"Contrary to what Tsunade said, we all actually came from heaven, but that was many years ago. We were reincarnated, living our new bodies, but were unable to control them to our own will. We were only allowed to watch through their eyes as they lived their lives. The adults were of course reincarnated first, then the famous Konoha 12.. well.. 11, after ward. We watched them live their lives, waiting and waiting until we could see you again. Sure enough, you came back. We do have unfinished business with you, and that's why we refused to live in heaven until we assessed to that business," he explained. I nodded through it all, understanding every bit of it, except for one piece of detail.

"And what's that business?" I asked. Ero-sennin looked back to the others and Ino, nodding at them. He then glanced to me with those onyx eyes that I thought I would never see again. I should have been there with him on that mission to search for Pein. But what does it matter now? He placed his hands on my shoulders. He opened his mouth to speak, his voice sounding a little raspy.

"Naruto, I... no. We, are sorry," I blinked.. what? "We're sorry for leaving you all alone in this world."

"There's no need to be sorry for that," I replied, glancing at all of them, one at a time. I walked in front of them all. "You were all just doing your jobs, like you, Ero-sennin. You had a mission and you were killed in it. And all of you, you died protecting me so I could gather the chakra I needed to defeat Pein. There's no need to..."

A tear fell from my eyes.

"Naruto..." said a voice from behind me. Before I was able to react, I felt a pair of arms going around me. I didn't even have to look to see who it was. I know this touch.. I know this feeling. It's her, yet not her, but the feeling is the same. I couldn't move, not because she was holding me, but because my body didn't want to. It was as if my body was accepting their apology, although my mind hasn't caught up yet. I never was the fastest thinker out of the Konoha 12. One by one, the rest of them walked to me, engaging in a massive group hug, with me in the center. I wanted to cry.. I really did. But I couldn't find the will to release anymore tears. This was their apology, the moment they had been waiting for.. and I accept it.

When they pulled away, their frames started to glow a golden color. They smiled at me, waving their good bye. Their unfinished business was now finished. They apologized, and I accepted their apology. They no longer have anything that kept them bound in this world. They can pass on now. I watched as they each ascended into the air, vanishing away into the clouds. The last one, for some reason, was Ino. I wonder why she had to be last. This kind of feels like one of those climatic movies where the girl's spirit leaves the guy who she loves... wait, that's exactly what's happening, but a little differently. Ino caressed my cheek with her hand.

"Take care of us, Naruto," she said, looking to her unmoving, present self. She then looked back to me, a few moments later. "She's a special girl, more than I could ever have been. I never thought I would be able to fall in love with you, but I understand why I did, or rather, she did. You are more than what any of us thought you were, and my only regret is not realizing sooner. In some ways, I envy her.. myself.. for being with you. You're an incredible person, Naruto, and I mean it."

"Ino..." I was about to say something, but found my lips pressed onto hers. I immediately melted into the kiss. This doesn't count as cheating, right? It's still technically Ino, so I should be in the safe zone. Her lips are just as soft as my girlfriend's. Oh wait, they're the same person... hence, I never was the brightest shinobi in the village. I know that, and completely accept it. When the kiss ended, she pulled away, leaving me wanting a bit more from her, but knew that it was time for her to go. Her spirit ascended into the air, and just like everyone else, she vanished. I walked back to the memorial stone and knelt once more, placing my hand on it again.

"Everyone... thank you."

Right as I said that, I could feel the winds blowing again. I looked at the memorial stone, their names still engraved there. They came back to me for one last apology, and I'm glad to have seen them again. I stood up from my current position, allowing the wind to flow passed my hair. I held the side of my head steadily, stopping a few strands of hair from getting to my eyes. I smiled as I looked up into the sky. They're all watching me now, from up there where they belong. They're spirits are free now, free to be as happy as Kami meant for them to be. Some day, I will join them, but that day is not today. I turned back to Ino-chan, who was still waiting patiently for me. This lifetime has given me someone to love and to protect. When our time is over, we will join you all... together. I walked back to her.

"Naruto-ku--" I interrupted her as I wrapped my arms around her body, pulling her into a tight embrace. She remained silent after that. Whether she was shocked from my sudden display of affection, or just shocked in general, I don't know. All I know right now is that she's here with me, making me the most grateful son of a bitch to have ever walked this world. If not for them, I wouldn't be here today. I wouldn't have fallen in love with the most unlikely of people, and she wouldn't have fallen in love with me. If not for the people I failed to protect, but ended up protecting me instead, I wouldn't be able to experience this rare emotion.

"Ino-chan.. thank you for being with me."

"Naruto-kun..." she trailed off once more as I slowly pulled away. Even though my friends have passed on, I can still somehow feel their presence around me. They are watching me, guiding my every movement. Ino requested for me to take care of her reincarnation, and that's what I'm going to do. I may not love her in the same way as I love the Ino here, but she is still pretty much the same person, yet not exactly in some ways. We were both silent for a while, neither daring to ruin the silence that was bestowed upon us. It wasn't an awkward silence either, but a beautiful one. It wasn't until a few minutes later when the silence was broken.

"Are you alright now?" she asked, placing a hand on my chest. She clenched my shirt lightly.

"Yeah. Thank you for bringing me here. It was exactly what I needed," she smiled.

"I'm just glad to have been able to help you. You should already know by now that being loved by me comes with a few strings. Whether you take them as good or bad strings, are your decisions to make. If there's anything bothering you, even if you tell me there's nothing wrong, I'll be able to tell. We're not naive children, Naruto-kun. I'm not stupid. I know when something is going on with you, so there's really no need to hide anything from me. If you're troubled in any way at all, just tell me. I don't want you to be sad, okay?" she asked. I smiled slightly, thanking my lucky stars for such a caring girlfriend.

"Yeah. You'll be the first to know. Anyway, I think we should get going now. I think it's about time to be meeting with our partners again," I replied, taking her hand and entwining my fingers with hers. We smiled together and made our way back to the others. The wind swirled around us. I know who's doing it is, and I thank them for it. Even in death, they are always with me. I thought I was alone in the world, when Konoha was destroyed, my friends taken with it. I thought I walked this planet on my own. But I was wrong. They were right here, always beside me. They were even reincarnated, waiting for a chance to reunite themselves with me again.

"Ino-chan.. will you stay with me?"

"I will, Naruto-kun. I will always be with you.

__________________________________________________

Damn, finally! I never thought I would finish with this chapter. I was typing it up a couple of days ago and managed to reach 5.2k words, but when I clicked the save button and logged out, it didn't save when I logged back in. I was a little pissed after that and decided to write at a later time. I started writing again and reached 4.6k words, but something else happened. I was at the library at my school while typing it up and the computers there are a little messed up. I pressed the space bar button and was about to type another word, when the computer performed a "backspace" action, as if the little typing cursor thing wasn't there. The screen was then refreshed and I lost all my work for the second time.

If you haven't realized it yet, I do all my typing here at . I don't use Word, Notepad, or any of that. I type here because I seem to get inspiration while I'm on this website. Yes, I did try to type on Microsoft Word, but that didn't really work out for me. No inspiration was flowing through my head. I don't know how I managed to finish this chapter, but that's not the point. I'm finally done and I can move on! Okay.. you probably don't want to hear any of my meaningless rants so I'll end it right here. See you on chapter six!

Ja ne!


	6. Chapter 6

**Voice of the Wanderer  
**

**Naruto Fanfiction**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a single shred of Naruto.  
**

**Chapter 6: Birthday Bash  
**

__________________________________________________

I sat quietly on my seat, as the bus traveled back to school. It's been quite a long day for me. The assignment is one thing, kissing Hinata is another thing, but meeting the old gang? That was definitely the high light of my day. I found myself an emotional wreck when I kissed Hinata but when Ino took me to the memorial stone and met up with the others, I felt all better again. It turns out that they all had unfinished business. They were all sorry for leaving me. A small piece inside me always hoped that I would see them again, just one last time with their smiling faces, before they moved on and I guess I got that wish. I got to kiss Ino today, the Ino of the past. Take that, Shikamaru! But I know he thinks she's too troublesome. That pineapple head is really missing out.

I looked to my girlfriend, who was still chatting with Sakura and Temari. I have the window seat this time, more like she gave it to me. I really should thank my lucky stars for having such a caring girlfriend. She's sweet, she cares, she's real, and... I just love her. Maybe I will tell her about my kiss with Hinata.. some day. I don't want to do it now, or not in the near future. I didn't sense anyone around us when we kissed, and I know Hinata will stay true to her word. If there's one thing she learned from me in the past, it's to never take your word back. I looked back at the window to my right, gazing at the wilderness.

I miss this place and I'm glad I received a second chance to see it. I wish I had more time here, but it's time to go back home.. to my surreal life home. I looked to the side, Hinata and Kiba were sitting together. She's on the window seat, just like I am, but there's something different. She's still laughing to Kiba's lame jokes.. well, I think they're lame, yet she looks like she's enjoying herself. Kiba owes me big time for placing me in this stupid predicament. I'm guilty, I know it. I also know that I should confess, but not today. So many things has already happened today and I sort of want a little break from all this high school drama.

"Naruto-kun," Ino called to me, snapping me out of my daydream.

"Hm? What is it?"

"We've been on this bus for about 20 minutes now and you haven't said a single word. What's on your mind?" she asked. Most guys would find this quite an annoyance, but I don't. I don't mind that she's constantly poking inside my business because it shows that she cares and I like that. I rested my head on her lap, laying the rest of my body on the seat. She did this on our way here, and I believe it's my turn. I twisted my body to face her. I wasn't really looking into her eyes though, more like her stomach.

"I'm just thinking about this day and everything that's happened today," I replied, placing a hand on her thigh. Ino's fingers flowed through my hair, like it was made of water. Her touch was always so soft. I really like that. There's actually too many things about her that I like, that I can't name them all.

"Maybe you don't have to keep thinking so hard. I've noticed how you've been doing that lately. Just pause it for a few days and get yourself together first. You'll crash if you keep this up, Naruto-kun," she said. I nodded knowingly.

"But you'll be there to help me up, right?" Ino nodded.

"Yeah, always."

...

"Naruto-kun.."

"Yeah?"

"What happened on that memorial stone? I took you there and you knelt down in front of it. Two seconds later, you were fine," she said. I nodded slowly. "I didn't want to ask about it before, but I think the timing is fine right now. You don't have to tell me if you don't--"

"I'll tell you."

Ino remained silent.

"I saw them again.. my friends from the past. They were all ghosts, having unfinished business and refused to ascend to heaven without first fixing them. It was amazing too, because I could touch them. And by the way, time was frozen through out it all. To you, only a few seconds passed but for me, it was a good half hour or so.. give or take," I explained.

"What were they like? Or rather, what was my past life like? Did she say anything about me?" she asked. She's full of questions today but then again, why wouldn't she be? I just saw her past life again and that should be enough to get the brain flowing its nerves of curiosity, easily.

"Well, most of them are about the same as the ones here, save Sasuke. Sasuke of my time is actually a little nicer, unlike the Uchiha-baka in this era. As for your past life, she was actually quite surprised that you fell in love with me, but accepted it. She and I never really saw eye to eye until we were a little older, somewhere in the midst of our teenage lives. Lastly, she told me to take care of you, and I plan to do that," I said. Ino nodded and smiled sweetly. "Oh and there was one other thing, and I hope you don't kill me for it."

"What... what is it?" she asked, getting a bit worried.

"She kissed me."

"Oh.. well, since she's still technically me, I guess I can let it pass but I have to ask. Who do you think is the better kisser?" she said with a grin. Now is the time that I do a little bit of playing. I really love Ino.

"Oh I don't know. You'll have to kiss me and find out," I said, sitting up. Ino traced her fingers around my neck and softly pressed her lips against mine. I deepened the kiss, pushing a little forward as well. Honestly though, I think I'm at a tie. Yamanaka-san and Ino-chan are both great kissers. I guess it runs in the family line. When we both pulled away, I placed a hand on my chin, pondering a bit.

"Well?" she asked.

"I'd have to say it's pretty even between you two," I said honestly. But for some reason, she seemed satisfied with my answer.

"Alright, I'll accept that. Anyway, I forgot to tell you, Tenten-chan is inviting us and the others to go to her house. She's an only child, just like a lot of us and she tends to get lonely all alone in her house," she said. I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Doesn't she live with her parents?"

"She should be but her parents are in China for a couple of years. That's where her mother came from and she can't just leave her business there. Tenten-chan's father is there with her mother, to keep her occupied, leaving Tenten at her house, by herself," she said. I thought about it for a moment. I haven't been to Tenten's house in... ever. I guess it would be a good opportunity to bond with the rest of my friends. I've only been chatting with Ino, Sakura, Shikamaru, Kiba, Chouji.. every now and then, but less often than the others. There's still Neji, Lee.. and Sasuke.. I wonder if I can get him to open up at all.

"Alright. I guess I could go and check them out. By the way, do you know if Uchiha is going?" I asked. It's really hard to refer to everyone using their last names, but I guess this is the custom that this era is used to. I really do want him to go though, sort of. He has to come out of his shell at one point or another. I want to be able to get as close to everyone as possible.

"Actually, I don't know. He was probably invited but he's not the type to spend any of his time with us. Even while he and I were dating, the most he ever gave to me was a glance, once per day. I don't want you to hate him for it.. he just has his own issues and all," she said. I nodded.

"I don't hate him. I just wish he could open up a bit.. you know?"

"Yeah. I know exactly what you mean," she said. I nodded once more and rested on her lap again. Her lap feels like a pillow that I can easily fall asleep on. As expected, my eyes started closing. Although there isn't much room to lay on, this is a pretty comfortable position for me. My legs are placed together and bent a little so my entire body can accommodate the entire seat.. my portion anyway. Ino scooted as far to the edge as possible, making a bit more room for me. Man, I love this girl so much! She knows exactly what's on my mind before I even as it.. most things anyway.

"Ne.. Naruto-kun.. don't sleep yet. I need someone to talk to."

"Just talk. I'll listen."

"How can you listen while you're asleep?"

"I'm not sleeping.. just gonna rest my eyes for a bit."

"You'll eventually fall asleep."

"Laying on your lap.. yeah, I just might."

"Which brings me back to my question. How can you listen while you're asleep?"

"Don't worry about it. I will listen."

"Is this a shinobi thing? Listening to someone while you're asleep?"

"Nope. But why wouldn't I listen to you? That's like a sin for me."

"I don't understand."

"Well, think of it this way. My eyes are closed now, yet we're still having this conversation."

"True, but you're not sleeping."

"You don't know that."

"Yes I do."

"No you don't."

"Yes I do."

"No you don't."

"Yes I do."

"Yes you do."

"No I-- hey!" she shouted halfheartedly. I chuckled at our exchange of logic. Ino remained silent after that. I could feel the happiness radiating from her spirit. Even with my eyes closed, I can sense that she's happy, meaning I'm doing my job well. I guess being a boyfriend isn't so hard after all. Uchiha-san really lost a good one. But come to think of it.. I wonder what his issues are at this era. I forgot to ask Sasuke-baka while he and the others visited me when Ino-chan took me to the memorial stone. Maybe if I asked him, I wouldn't be so curious. I wonder if it has anything to do with his clan. Secondly, I haven't even met Itachi yet. Could it have something to do with that? Maybe I won't sleep yet. Maybe Ino knows something.

"Ino-chan.."

"I thought you were going to sleep."

"I was, but I need to know something. You dated Uchiha-san for a while and I'm trying hard to unravel his mystery. Do you suppose his sour attitude has anything to do with his family?" I asked. This was the issue of the past, after all. Ino-chan placed a finger on her chin.

"That could be it. You see, his parents are--"

"Dead?"

"No, now let me finish," she snapped. I was silent after that. In the past, the Uchiha clan was massacred by Itachi, which is the thing that pissed off Sasuke to the core, and what was probably making him go emo and all. If that's not the reason here.. I wonder what it is? I found my hand gripping on the edge of Ino-chan's skirt. She must have noticed when she placed her hand on top of mine. "Naruto-kun.. what is it?"

"It's just that, in the past, Sasuke-baka was my best friend. I remember telling you that he betrayed our village. But what I didn't tell you is that when he did, I was so mad. I wasn't totally mad at him, but I was mostly mad at myself. I thought that I failed him as a friend. I should have been able to do more for him. I thought that in this era, he might be a bit nicer but he isn't. I can't stop wondering if it's my fault for not being a better friend to him in the past.." I said. Ino-chan's gentle hands engulfed mine, softening my grip on it. She entwined her fingers with mine instead.

"Don't say that, Naruto-kun. You're a good person and I'm sure you did your best with him. Anyway, I don't know why he's being so mean these days but it's probably because of the way Uchiha Itachi-san treats him," she said. My eyes snapped open at that, thinking of the most horrid things that Itachi could be doing to his little brother. My eyes softened. I didn't want to show any of my worry in front of Ino. She would end up getting more worried about it and I've seen how she treats my concerns. We're talking about Sasuke now, not me.

"Wait.. you don't know why he's being so mean these days? Was Uchiha-san nicer before? And what about Itachi? How does he treat him?" I asked, barraging her with questions. I really hope she doesn't get too annoyed with me for all this. But whether it's this era or the one before, I still consider Sasuke a good friend.

"First of all, he wasn't this cruel when we were younger. He used to be so sweet.. up until our first year of high school. That's when things started going wrong. I don't know all the details to it, but he did once mention something about how Itachi-san treats him. I assumed it to be bad, but I can't say anything else. I don't even know if that's the reason for him acting like there's a stick up his ass, but I'd really like to know as well," she said. I nodded at that. She wants to save him too. Looks like I have a partner in crime after all.

__________________________________________________

"Naruto-kun.." who's calling me?

"Hey, wake up already," I've been asleep?

"We're at school. Wake up, Naruto-kun.." said a voice. I opened my eyes slowly. Was I asleep? I remember talking to Ino-chan about Sasuke and that's it. How in the world did I just black out? But I still need some more sleep. Maybe she'll give me five more minutes. As I started to close my eyes again, she started lightly pushing at my shoulders again, just like she was doing a few seconds ago. I sighed and pushed myself up, eyes still half closed. I looked to her, who was giggling at me. I wondered what's up. Just as I was about to ask, she pulled out a sheet of cloth from her back pack and wiped my mouth.

"You were drooling in your sleep, Naruto-kun. And you managed to get some on my leg too," she said. My eyes widened. Okay, that woke me up. I slapped my cheeks with both hands, assuring myself of my awakening. She wiped her piece of cloth on her leg and skirt. I saw a fairly dark and wet mark on the edge of her skirt, where my mouth was probably pointed at. I looked back up at her.

"Ino-chan, I am so sorry. I don't usually drool anymore. I'm really, really--"

"Hey, don't worry about it, kay? It's just drool and that's the least of your concern. Do you know how loud you snore?" she giggled again. I flushed red. Everyone was looking at me now. "You were snoring so loud that no one could hear themselves talking."

"Ugh.. damn it.. I guess I was just that comfortable," I said. Ino nodded as the bus slowed to a stop.

"I'm glad to know that you think my legs are a comfortable pillow, but here's our stop," she said as one by one, everyone filed out of the bus in an orderly manner. Sheesh, what do parents teach these kids? I was kind of expecting them to be a little rowdier.. or rather, I guess that's how I was when I was younger.. which was a very long time ago. As time moves forward, things change and I guess some behavioral issues change too. When it was our turn to get up. I stood up quickly, and just as quickly regretted it. I felt my head spinning, such were the side effects of sleeping, I suppose. Ino held me and walked me out of the bus. I could swear I almost tripped along the way.

When everyone was out of the buses, we all thanked them for the trip, allowing them to leave afterward. I looked up into the sky, it was a darkish blue color. The wind was a bit strong too, which I found to be a tad strange but readily accepted as it was night time after all. We stayed until our friends started leaving with their parents. I had almost forgotten that we walked to school today, so I don't have my motorcycle with me. Thankfully though, I have one of my father's kunais at my house, and one at hers. The third one, I keep with me at all times, just in case I need it. I also keep two regular kunais with me.. for safety purposes and all.

"Ino-chan, you're shivering," I said as I removed my jacket from my shoulders. She looked to me, shaking her head slightly, but I could see the color in her cheeks fading. She can't fool me, not with this one. Despite her disagreement, I placed my jacket around her and embraced her tightly. "I don't care if you say you don't need it, Ino-chan. I make it my choice to keep you warm."

"Thanks.. I suppose. But what are you going to use to keep warm?" she asked. I was wondering when she would ask me that question. I looked around me, seeing that not many people were around us anymore. I moved closer to her and raised one side of the jacket. I formed a hand seal using one hand and opened it so that my palm was showing. I blew out a small ball of fire, which I caught on my hand. The small fire ball was encased with my chakra, causing it to burn like a candle but a little larger than the flame of a simple candle. It was probably half the size of my regular Rasengan. Since it was encased in my chakra, not only can it not be put out by the wind, but it's harmless to anyone's touch.

"You know, I still find it quite amazing that you can do that and... ooh... Naru...to...kun that's... ahh good..." she said. I had placed my hand on the back of her neck, using the fire to keep her colder spots warm. I've done this before, back in the past with Sakura, when Baa-chan sent her, Sai, Kakashi-sensei, and myself on a mission that took us to a very cold place. She was freezing and we were in a cave. The original idea was to strip and huddle together but with only one girl and three guys, we figured that the idea was way too awkward. Instead, I conjured this jutsu and used it to keep her warm. According to her, the fire ball felt as hot as fire should be, but she didn't suffer from burns. I later learned that I could adjust the temperature by increasing or decreasing the size of the fire ball.

Ino walked closer to me, wrapping us both with my jacket. I had no idea that that thing was so large. It was actually able to keep both of us warm, and with my fire ball against her neck, she was even warmer. After about a minute, I placed my hand in the center of our bodies, keeping us both warm. I increased the size so it could accommodate for us both. She watched as the fire ball danced around my casing of chakra. My blue chakra was keeping the harmful sparks of flames inside it, while still allowing the heat to vent out. She placed her hand against it and smiled.

"It's so warm, just like actual fire, but it doesn't burn at all," she said. I nodded.

"Yeah. It's a handy trick that I learned in my days as a shinobi," I replied. She opened her mouth, about to ask something, when we both heard a car honk. We looked to the street to see who it was and instantly flinched. Holy crap. It's Yamanaka Inoichi.. her father. I looked to Ino, who grimaced at me. I clenched my hand together, dispelling the fire ball. She turned to her father and walked to him, her hand grasped on mine. When did she grab my hand? Odd... I didn't feel it. I bit my lip. This is NOT the way I wanted him to find out. This isn't good. This isn't good. This isn't good. What the hell am I gonna do? What if he doesn't approve? I'll never get to be with Ino-chan again!

"Ino.. who's that behind you? And why are you holding his hand?" asked Inoichi as he parked his car. It's a nice, velvet colored mitsubishi, very nice indeed. He stepped out of the car and walked over to us. I tried to remove my hand from hers, but she was holding it tightly. Is she insane?! The blond man looked down at our hands and then looked at Ino, who was smiling in an embarrassed manner. He then looked to me. If he looked carefully, he could probably see passed my grin. What was behind it was a spiky blond who was scared out of his wits. I can handle just about anything that comes my way but through my travels around the world, one of the things I learned was that fathers of girls who have a boyfriend usually end up hating the boy.

"Um.. hey daddy. I didn't know you were picking me up tonight," she said. How the crap was I supposed to know that this would happen? Inoichi crossed his arms over his chest, still looking to his daughter, probably expecting an explanation. I have to defend myself. I raised the only hand that I could in front of me, which apparently caught his attention.

"Sir, I swear, I have not touched her in any way or form that would seem inappropriate," I said in my defense, which is actually true. I didn't know it before, but I'm hyperventilating. Am I that scared to death with Inoichi looming over me? He's a little taller than I remember. He does seem a little intimidating when standing five feet away from him. "And in addition to that, I have never once forced her into anything that she doesn't want to do."

"Right..." he said, nodding slowly as he looked to his daughter. "And what have you got to say for yourself, young lady?"

"Um..." she said as she turned to me. "This is Uzumaki Naruto-kun, my boyfriend."

He raised an eyebrow at her answer. Shoot, why didn't she just say we were just friends? That would save us a whole lot of trouble and-- oh hold on.. that's right. I was the first to spill the beans. I really do have a habit of doing that, don't I? I didn't say it, but I pretty much implied it when I said that I never touched her inappropriately. Friends don't touch each other at all, except on the shoulders, or something, but not on the hands, legs, love handles... did I just think love handles? I mean waist. I shook my head slightly and thankfully didn't catch Inoichi's attention this time. He sighed.

"Get inside, both of you," he said in a bored expression. What the crack just happened? Where's the punching to my face? Where's the yelling into my ear that's supposed to sound something like 'stay the fuck out away from my daughter!' and all? This is new. He doesn't seem to be mad, just a little confused. Then again, who wouldn't be? Ino and I stepped inside the Mitsubishi. Ino was in the passenger's seat, while I was at the back. After our seat belts clicked, signaling that we were ready to go, Inoichi drove off. The first couple of minutes into the drive was very quite. All I could hear was the vehicle humming. I wonder what he's thinking about.

"Daddy, are you mad at me?"

"What do you think I should say, Ino?" he asked. I was taken aback at that. What kind of question is that? Did he just literally ask Ino to decide for him because he doesn't know what to say? Well of course the reasonable thing is to tell me to stop dating Ino. This new era is really getting weirder and weirder.

"Would it be out of line to ask for permission to continue dating him?" she asked. Okay, I'm going to shut up here. This is between him and her.

"I'm really close to just yelling at you and drop that kid in the street. If you told me before I myself found out, maybe things would have been different. Ino, you know how I hate it when we keep secrets from each other. I don't want us to grow apart from each other like your mother did," he said.

"I know daddy, and I'm sorry. But I just thought that you wouldn't allow it at all. You see, I really like him, not like the others that I've been with. He's nothing like them, especially nothing like Uchiha-san," she replied. I found myself looking back and forth between them.

"I would hope that he's different, Ino. I'm tired of you bringing those low life boys into our house. I thought I raised you better."

"Again daddy, I'm sorry. But I know it this time. I know that he's different. This may take you to a shock, but we've already been together for a month now and I wouldn't trade that month for anything in the world. You told me that you wouldn't question who I date in my senior year. That being said, I don't know why you won't hold up to that bargain. I worked my butt off for the first three years of high school, and I did just as you asked. Please let me make my own decisions now. I'm sure I deserve it, don't you think so?" she asked him. What a battle this is turning out to be. For some reason, I find this a whole lot cooler than shinobi battles.

"I know I said that, sweetheart, and I'm not taking any privledges away from you. I'm merely asking you to be careful in who you bring into our home. And secondly, I'm also asking why you kept this a secret from me for so long. I thought we could talk to each other about anything," he said to her.

"Yes, we can and I'm happy that we have that kind of relationship. Most parents could only dream of that kind of relationship with their children. I can tell you anything, I know that, but there were just some things that I didn't want to tell you because I was afraid you wouldn't accept them," she said, looking to her father. We were at a red light for a while, allowing them their undisturbed minute of talk. When the light finally turned green, the vehicle began to move again.

"Alright, you got me. I understand that one. I do admit that I still don't approve of your boyfriend but I suppose it's your decision to date whoever you want. If you think he's a good person, then I'll trust in your judgment. But you know my rules right? If you get pregnant, you're out of my house. Understand?" he asked. Ino nodded. She looked back from her seat, looking to me and smiled. Yeah she looked happy, but I'm absolutely terrified. I'd rather take up an S-rank mission than to face Ino's father, any day. Even though he doesn't approve of me, at least Ino and I can continue to date. I should at least be happy for that. I looked outside my window and then noticed something.

"Um.. Ino-chan.. I think I'll get off here. I noticed that this isn't the way to my house and so I'll assume it's the way to yours," I said, acting as though I've never been to her place. Ino narrowed her eyes at me for a second, but nodded almost immediately, understanding my point of view. Inoichi stopped the car.

"Ah, Uzumaki-san, I forgot that you were still here, being all silent in the back and all. I'm sorry. I'll just turn around and--"

"No sir, that's okay. I can take the bus from here," I said as I exited the vehicle. I walked to Ino and placed a kiss on her cheek. "I'll see you later, Ino-chan, good night. And good night to you too, Yamanaka-otou-san."

When I left them, I walked back to a tree. When I sensed that they were no longer near me, I looked around my surroundings. No one can see me, ok good. I formed a hand seal and vanished in a faint flash of yellow. I reappeared back to my home, right next to my father's special kunai, which was near the front door. I placed my back pack on the couch and entered the kitchen, wondering what in my refrigerator can feed me. I decided to have some good old ramen for dinner, as well as some chicken and broccoli. As I readied the materials and heated up my stove, I began to wonder how Tenten's little party is going to be.

__________________________________________________

*Yawn*

"Dude.. are you alright?" asked Kiba. I looked to him with sleep deprived eyes. I tried to answer, but my head fell back down on the table. My eyes pretty much tell the entire story of what happened last night. After dinner, I was about to get some sleep, when I remembered the book report that I had to do for Hatake-sensei's class. Not only that but I also had a few worksheets that I never really started on, from Asuma-sensei's class. I remembered all of this at around 8:30 pm. In short, I didn't even sleep. It wouldn't have been so bad if I was able to get a Redbull on the way to school, but Ino-chan needed a ride to school, as her father left very early in the morning for a business meeting. I used the Hiraishin to get to her house and we took the bus from there.

Of course, I didn't show her my external fatigue, masking it with a food pill. Yup, you guessed it, I do know how to make food pills and thankfully, the ingredients used to make them back in the shinobi era, still exist in this era, albeit slightly different. But now, I feel that the effect of that food pill is wearing down. I thought I grabbed a whole sack with me, on my way out of the house, but I guess I didn't. I was probably very disoriented, even after a cold shower and must have accidentally grabbed one pill instead of a whole bag. It's been about five minutes since the food pills started fading and I'm feeling its full effects. If felt someone sitting next to me, but I'm too tired to see who it is.

"Naruto-kun... are you alright?" asked Ino.

"Just... plain... peachy..." I managed to say.

"He didn't get much sleep last night," said Kiba. "He hasn't told me anything yet though. He seemed fine earlier, when you two came here but a few minutes after you left for your student council meeting, he just started to die out all of a sudden."

"Oh Naruto-kun..." she said, cradling my body. She was now behind me, her arms around my shoulders. Is she trying to get me to fall asleep? Because if so, she's doing a very good job at it. We got here pretty early and there's about a good hour until classes start, so that should give me a decent amount of time to get some last minute naps. I turned around slowly and embraced her, resting my head on her chest. I really hope I don't start drooling again. People will start to wonder if they see saliva marks on Ino's blouse. Although my eyes were closed and half of my senses were asleep, I could still sense a good amount of what was around me.

"Whoa... he looks so out of it," said Chouji, finally arriving to school. He sat next to Kiba and opened up a bag of chips.

"He probably stayed up all night to finish that book report from Hatake-sensei," said Kankuro. Gaara nodded and slightly turned red. As good a student as he was, the whole book report thing completely slipped away from his mind until the morning of the due date. The red-head began to scribble in his note book as fast as his wrist and hand could move. He was pretty much bullshitting the report.

"Naruto-kun, do you want to go somewhere a little quieter so you can get some sleep?" Ino asked.

"It's okay. I'll... be fine. Don't... worry about... me," I replied. Although I'm sure she knows that I'm not very convincing, she nodded to my reply, and continued to hold me. Damn it, of all times to not have Kyuubi, it just had to be my high school life! I'm gonna strangle that stupid fox when I see him in the afterlife, for leaving me so abruptly. I really have to pull myself together... hold on... that's right! I can use the Hiraishin no Jutsu to get back home and get my sack of food pills. I have my third kunai with me. All I have to do is place it somewhere, get my food pills from home, then use the jutsu again to get back here. I looked up to Ino.

"Ino-chan... please do me a favor," I said weakly.

"What is it?"

"Please take me... to the... nearest restroom," I said. Ino nodded as she helped me to stand. She helped me to walk into the restroom, which was a good 30 feet away from where I was sitting with the others. That 30 feet felt like 3000 feet for me. I didn't think I would ever get this tired in my life! But again, it's all that bastard fox's fault. But I suppose I can't blame him for everything. He did, after all, allow me to live long enough to see the reincarnations of my friends. I wonder if that was the last gift that he intended for me. If so, then I'll have to take back all the mean things I ever said about him. When we reached the restroom. I entered inside and quickly went into one of the toilet stalls. I placed my kunai on top of the toilet and formed a hand seal, vanishing in flash of yellow.

I arrived at home and quickly searched for my food pills. Shoot, I forgot where I put them. I walked around my house for what seemed like half an hour, just looking for those stupid pills that might actually save my life today. Oh no, this isn't good.. my body isn't responding anymore. I'm way too exhausted. I shook my head to keep myself awake, but it was no use. I looked to the side, seeing my very comfortable couch. I know I shouldn't, but my body weighs a ton right now. Maybe just for a few minutes. Yes.. just for a few minutes. Just for a little while, I'm gonna get some sleep. The moment I collapsed on my couch everything went black.

...

...

...

*Groan*

*Yawn*

"Mmm... what a nice nap..." I said to myself. I hopped out of my couch and did some stretches. I feel like a ten million yen! When I finished stretching, I remembered that I was looking for my food pills, but what would I need that for if I feel this good? Oh well, time to get back to school... wait, back track... school?! Holy crap, I forgot all about it! I glanced to my watch on my wrist and dreaded the digital contraption. It's 3:45pm already?! I completely missed school! I sighed my shoulders. I might as well go back, pick up my kunai, and get out. They'll understand if I was absent, or maybe they won't and I'll get detention or something. I picked up my back pack and formed a hand seal, vanishing away.

I reappeared in the boy's bathroom and removed placed my kunai back into my back pack. I wonder what happened during school while I was asleep. I walked outside and was hit with the afternoon sunlight. I walked around the place. Everything looks normal, except for the fact that there weren't many students around. I sighed once more and figured I should go to the attendance office and explain my absence. On my way there, I felt a little vibration in my pocket. I dug my hands in there and pulled out my cell phone. I opened it up and saw about 10 missed calls and 20 something messages, all from Ino and everyone else I know. I suppose I should at least tell them that I... well... was a little preoccupied. There was one message that caught my eye though. It was from Ino.

_"Naruto-kun, where in the world are you? I told the others that you just went to the restroom but after recess came and your door was still locked, I started getting worried as well. I hope you're not hurt or anything. I'm going to your house after school, which is at 3:00pm. Tenten-chan's birthday party is today but I'm worried about you. She can wait a while. I hope you're okay. And the others are starting to wonder what happened to you. They saw me walk you to the restroom but you never came out and the door was still locked. I hope they don't start asking any questions."  
_

I rolled my eyes and placed my cell phone away. I completely forgot that today was Tenten's birthday.. or rather, I wasn't informed of it. Sure Ino told me that Tenten was inviting people over, but I didn't know it was because of a birthday party. That reminds me, I have to get her a present, but I have to go home first. Ino should be there by now and I need to greet her, much less tell her what happened to me. I returned to the restroom and formed the hand seal again, flashing back to my house. Sure enough, I sensed someone coming. I recognize this presence. I opened the door to reveal...

"Ino-chan, hey."

"Naruto-kun, what happened to you? You missed class today."

"Yeah. Um, why don't you come inside?" I offered. She nodded and entered my house. I closed the door as we both sat on a couch together. "Well, you see, when I came here, I was looking for something called food pills which are what I used in the past to get a short boost of energy. They're like an equivalent of Redbull or Monster energy drinks, but they're pills. I guess when I saw my couch, I had the notion to go to sleep. I wanted to resist but the need to sleep was overtaking my head."

"Oh, so you fell asleep? Okay. I thought it was something more than that," she said. "Anyway, I came by to tell you a few things. One of which is the fact that you have detention from Umino-sensei. He wasn't having that great of a day and you were the only one absent on the day of one of his pop quizzes. He told me to tell you that you have detention with him on Saturday."

"What a guy.. anyway, what else do you have to tell me?"

"It regards Tenten-chan's birthday party. I starts in a few minutes. Did you want to get her a present?" she asked. I was about to reply but she pulled a small box from her bag. "Don't worry, I picked something up for you so you don't have to go out. Don't worry about paying me back. I just want to get over there as soon as possible."

"Oh, thanks Ino-chan. I guess that clears up my need to get her a present. Would you like to get going?" I asked. Ino nodded. We took our back packs and made our way to my garage. I pumped up the engine on my vehicle, wiping a bit of dust away. I haven't been using it, due to the fact that I could just use the Hiraishin no Jutsu to get to Ino's house and back to mine. I don't mind taking the bus either. I take that time to catch a bit of sleep, since it actually takes a while to get to school from the bus. As I placed my helmet on, I remembered that I bought a second helmet for Ino, because she often rides with me. I handed it to her.

"I get one too now?" she asked, putting it on.

"Yeah. I just bought it recently, mainly because you usually take rides with me. Just keep it in your house," I replied. Ino nodded as we rode off. I don't really know where Tenten lives, but that's why I have Ino. She pointed me to the right directions. I realized then that Tenten actually lives quite a distance away from school. As I pulled over on a curb, I wondered how she gets to school every day, on time no less. I chained my motorcycle with my and Ino's helmets, seeing as though there was a small hole on the side where the chain could be inserted to. As she and I made our way to her doorstep, I saw a black Mercedes, parked a few meters away from my motorcycle. I know exactly who's car that is.

"It looks like Uchiha-san is here too," I said. Ino took a glance at the car and nodded. I rang the door bell and surprisingly, there was a near instant answer. The door opened to reveal Chouji, who had some cake on his plate.

"Awesome, glad you guys could make it!" he said happily. I smiled at him as I entered, taking my shoes off at the entrance. Ino gave me a kiss to the cheek before joining Sakura and Temari in their much needed gossip. I looked around the place and was rather impressed at the quality of it. Tenten lives alone and yet she has quite a lot of appliances. I wonder if ther parents send her more money that what is needed, every month. Monthly checks are usually sent to children from parents, when they are divorced and the child is living in his or her own place. As I looked around, Kiba came from my side and tackled me. Had I not been ready for it, I might have fallen over.

"Dude, you're actually here! What the heck happened to you anyway? Did you have some kind of diarrhea or something? You were in the restroom for so long," he said. He asked two questions, both of which I didn't feel like answering, so I simply nodded. I saw Shikamaru behind him.

"Hey, get back here already. You know how impatient Neji gets when you pause the game while he's playing," he said.

"What are you guys doing?" I asked in turn, rather curious as to what those guys were up to.

"We're playing Rockband using Chouji's Xbox 360. We need a singer though, as a lot of us suck at that and none of the girls want to play," he said. Of course they would need a singer... I've played Rockband before and actually like playing both the guitar and the drums. Singing with the mic isn't so bad either. I sighed for the... oh I can't remember how many times I've already sighed today.

"Alright, I'll sing for you guys," I said. Shikamaru nodded and pulled me to the living room. Some of the guys were already there. Sasuke, Gaara, Kankuro, Lee, and Neji. Shino and Chouji were talking with the girls, probably not that interested in video games. Sasuke sent a short glance my way, but gave me nothing more than that. Neji was on bass, Shikamaru was on guitar, and Kiba was on drums. I sat down next to Lee, who was probably waiting his turn, but then I remembered that I was actually supposed to sing. As I went to grab the mic, Shikamaru reached for it. I stared at him with a blank face.

"Huh? I thought you wanted me to sing?" I asked, confused.

"Right... but that troublesome woman, Temari, wants me to sing. Why don't you take my spot as guitar?" he asked. I sheepishly nodded and took his guitar. Shikamaru grabbed the controller and placed us at the song selection screen. "Alright, since you just got here, Uzumaki, you should choose a song for us to do."

I nodded as I took the controller from him. I scrolled down the song selection screen, looking for an appropriate song to do. Since I'm using the guitar, that means I'm going to get the brunt of the notes and strums. All of these songs seem so easy. I spent about three seconds on each song, listening to each of them until I arrived at a song that I actually want to do. I haven't played this game in a while and the song I last played was by this band, so I figure it would be nice to choose another song by this band as well. After I chose it, we were brought to the difficulty selection screen. I immediately went to the expert setting, being most comfortable there. Kiba just stared at me like I grew two heads and a tail.

"Whoa, are you sure dude? You're gonna play expert, guitar, with this song? Do you even know this band, Dragonforce?" he asked. I nodded. "This song, Heroes of Our Time is pretty tough for guitarists, even on hard mode. Are you sure you want to go through with it?"

"Of course. As for the band itself, I met one of the members in the states, when I was still there. The one I met was the main guitarist, Herman Li. He taught me a few songs and man does he play fast.. his fingers are like lightning when they're on an electric guitar," I said, chuckling at the memory when I met him in person. I was in one of their concerts and well... I have connections. I was able to meet him in person and he showed me some songs. Playing this one on a game shouldn't be too hard.

"Alright then... your funeral," he said as he chose the hard difficulty setting. Neji also chose hard, as well as Shikamaru. I looked to them, wondering why they didn't choose expert. It's not like Rockband is all that hard. There was another game that resembles this one, but is actually harder. Oh that's right, it's called Guitar Hero. I miss that game, but then again it's almost exactly like Rockband, except for the fact that it doesn't have drums or a mic. I heard Temari from the back, who called the others in. I looked back to Ino, who was smiling at me. Okay, I better not mess up. The girlfriend is watching and it would be embarrassing if I miss too many notes.

When the song started, I instantly saw a lot of notes. I reacted by pressing the necessary colored buttons and strumming like my life depended on it. Then again, it doesn't seem too hard. I know this song and I know the melody to it. The only difficulty is watching and timing my strums. The notes are coming down at an alarming rate. Maybe this is why the others stayed off of the expert setting. Okay, so far so good. I've only missed a couple of notes so far, but nothing too extravagant. About 44 seconds later, the lyrics finally started rolling in. My fingers are starting to heat up. I knew I should have maintained practice of this game in my spare time.

_Lost in a dream, finally it seems,  
_

_Emptiness and everlasting madness,  
_

_See the sadness grow, watching as we know,_

_Blinded for our journey for the world,  
_

_Call for us, the power in all of us,  
_

_So far beyond the blackened sky tonight...  
_

_Glorious, forever more in us,  
_

_We are victorious, and so alive._

As the song progressed, my memories started flowing back into my head. It's when I was still living with the old man who gave me my inheritence. Some of his younger friends played this game with me. I wasn't that good at it then, but I started getting the hang of it. As more and more notes were released from the song, I found that my fingers were already feeling a bit strained. Maybe I should have picked a lighter song, but oh well. I chose this and I'll see it through the end. When the first verse was over, the chorus was coming up. Shikamaru placed the mic down. Kiba, Neji, Shikamaru, and I sang through the mic together.

_We'll all find our sacrifice tomorrow,  
_

_Our journey on towards a brighter day,  
_

_Silent tears we left behind, still so far away,  
_

_Across the endless sands,  
_

_Through the fields of our despair,  
_

_Dream for all eternity, we stand, yeah,  
_

_Rise above the universe tonight,  
_

_Starchaser..._

Although there were very many notes on the television screen, I closed my eyes to concentrate. I chose this song for a reason, and that's because I memorized every single note that this song releases on expert mode. I wonder if I can still play this game with my eyes closed. I heard many surprised expressions coming my way. It's not like it's that hard to play this game once you've memorized the notes. It does sort of kill the fun though, but I don't care too much.

"Uzumaki-san. That's really amazing!" said Lee. "Your youthfulness allows you to play the game with your eyes closed. Oh how I wish I were that good! Rock on, Uzumaki-san!"

I felt my eyelids twitching at that. Did he just say rock on? I shook my head quickly. That's Lee for you. When the first chorus finished, I noticed that Shikamaru was a little out of breath. I guess he's been singing for a while now, even before Ino and I arrived here. I quickly grabbed the mic from Shikamaru. I don't know what's going on with me, but I'm really getting into this. There was a stand where the microphone could be placed, and so I placed it there. As I continued my strumming, I opened my eyes and mouth, ready to sing the next verse. Shikamaru smiled and sat next to Temari, who was busy watching my performance. Sorry Shikamaru, but I'll take it from here.

_Fly towards the storm, see the world reborn,  
_

_Feel the pain inside, the voice, the sorrow,  
_

_Across the distant shores, find the open door,  
_

_Stand alone, in judgment for tomorrow._

When that finished, Shikamaru walked beside me and took the mic back, after having his little break of course. He lowered it back down to Kiba's level as Neji, himself and I lowered ourselves to Kiba's level.

_Years of pain still haunts us all, we saw the last sunrise,  
_

_Take me home, in freedom, for a lifetime...  
_

_Praying on for the silence, and the last tears will blind,  
_

_So glorious, this fight inside, united we stand._

_And we'll all find our sacrifice tomorrow,  
_

_Our journey on towards a brighter day.  
_

_Silent tears we left behind, still so far away,  
_

_Across the endless sands,  
_

_Through the fields of our despair,  
_

_Dream for all eternity, we stand, yeah.  
_

_Rise above the universe tonight,  
_

_Starchaser..._

After the last word from the second chorus was said, I felt my fingers burning again. I immediately flipped the guitar, now having my right hand on the notes buttons and my left hand on the strummer. I played through the few seconds of the next verse. I know what's coming and I have to be ready for it. My left hand on the strummer and my right hand on the notes aren't as good as the other way around. I have to be prepared for the guitar solo. This is going to be a long one.

_Free from this world, here for the last time,  
_

_Oceans collide inside of us all,_

_Believe who we are,  
_

_The phoenix will guide us,  
_

_Freedom will rise once again._

As that part of the song was being sung by Shikamaru, only a few notes were being released on my side. I looked to Neji's screen, who was receiving a few notes but very little. Kiba wasn't getting very many either, if any. I quickly dug down my jacket's pocket and pulled out a food pill. I'm going to need this extra energy if I'm going to play through the solo without making a single mistake. I've only been able to do that once and after that, was never able to do it again. I was drinking some pretty strong coffee at the time. I only hope that a food pill will be of equal value as that super strong coffee. When that verse was done, Shikamaru took a deep breath and exhaled it out. It's my turn now.

"Good luck on the solo, Uzumaki," he said, patting my shoulder. I nodded and looked to the television screen. When the notes came in, the food pill kicked in. I had already switched to my original position with my left hand on the notes buttons and my right hand on the strummer. They were coming in faster than ever but the food pill was doing its job. My eyes were able to keep track with the notes as they were released and my hands were able to react accordingly. Several seconds into the solo, I had already reached the 50 note streak. It's only going to get higher and higher. The notes were coming down at a much slower pace, thanks to the food pill that I took.

My hand continued strumming, not stopping for even a second. There were so many notes but I can't believe I'm able to react this well. These food pills really are something. I'm going to have to remember to get a bit of practice into this game again, when I get the chance. I feel bad for having to rely on a food pill when I'm sure I can play this song on my own with some practice. I stepped forward with my left leg and bent it a little, gaining a slightly better position. I can feel my arms starting to constrict but there's just a little bit more into this solo. I closed my eyes for the rest of it, trying to conserve some energy.

"Ino-chan, your boyfriend is great!" Tenten said happily. "He's only missed a few notes through this whole song and he's playing on expert mode. How the heck does he do it?"

"I wonder that too, but then again I don't. Naruto-kun truly is just plain amazing," she replied. I smiled at that. When the solo was halfway through, I felt something on my fingers. I opened my eyes slightly and saw a small blue spark. Was that electricity? I started feeling a bit of static on my hair as well. Odd, this never happened before. Could it be because of the chakra inside the food pill that was releasing itself into my body? The massive friction that my fingers were creating, plus the chakra boost could probably explain all this. My fingers are starting to hurt but I can't stop now, not until it's finished and I think I'm actually near it. Not a single mistake and I refuse to make one here.

"Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!" I shouted into the ceiling as I neared the end of the guitar solo. There should be another good 20 seconds left. As my face descended back to the level of the television screen, I felt my fingers moving faster and faster. A few more seconds... just a few more... there!

_Save us tonight, the last hope for all of us,  
_

_Light-years gone by, we're still holding on,  
_

_Save us tonight, a star shines in all of us,  
_

_Far beyond our lives, still our glory lives on._

I panted hard as Shikamaru started his piece. While Neji took care of the bass notes that started filling his screen, I fell on my right knee, breathing really hard. About a second later, the electricity that my fingers were emitting were disappearing. I inhaled a lot of oxygen inside and stood up on my feet once more. I flashed a grin when I saw that I attained a perfect 100 percent on the guitar solo portion of the song. This song is almost over and I'm going to see it through to the end.

_And we'll all find our sacrifice tomorrow,  
_

_Our journey on towards a brighter day,  
_

_Silent tears we left behind, still so far away,  
_

_Across the endless sands,  
_

_Through the fields of our despair,  
_

_Dream for all eternity, we stand, yeah,  
_

_Rise above the universe tonight,  
_

_Starchaser... Starchaser..._

_Our kingdom come, we stand as one,  
_

_And we will live for always evermore..._

As the song began to fade, I played the last bits of my notes. When it finally finished, I collapsed on the couch next to Gaara, who nodded at my accomplishment. I removed the strap from my shoulder and threw the guitar at Lee, who caught it excitedly. Man I'm tired now. Kiba stood from his seat and stood over me. Neji and Shikamaru also stood over me. I wonder what they're looking at? Actually I don't. I'm way too tired to care.

"Man, where'd you learn to play like that? That was incredible!" said Kiba. I nodded and smiled.

"Just a bit of practice, I suppose... I'm actually really rusty. I'm surprised I was able to get through that song without as many mistakes as I was expecting," I replied. Ino stood from her seat and walked over to me, a cup of soda in her hands. I sat up slowly and took the cup in my hand. When I held it, I found that my wrists were shaking, such were the effects of playing a Dragonforce song on a guitar, on expert mode.

"Here Naruto-kun, let me hold it for you," she said as she took it back and allowed me to drink from it. When I finished, I fell back on the couch. Gaara stood up to grab some food, leaving his space empty for taking. I'm sure he won't mind. I scooted over all the way to his spot and relaxed, Ino next to me. She placed the cup of soda on a nearby table and was about to lean on me, when she looked at my shirt.. which was filled with sweat. "Hey, take your jacket off. Look how sweaty you are."

"Yeah, okay," I said, obeying her command.

"Oh my god... Uzumaki, you're whipped!" said Kiba, resuming his seat in front of the drums. I chose to ignore that statement as I removed my jacket. I placed it on the side, next to Ino's feet. When it was removed, she grabbed a small towel from the kitchen and wiped my sweat off. Up till this day, I still don't know if I deserve such a caring girlfriend. When I was dried, she leaned her body on my chest.

The next couple of hours throughout the party was spent with singing a bit of karaoke. I didn't know Tenten had such a large array of songs on her microphone. There were a lot of romantic sounding songs, some of which I sang for my dearly beloved. There were some songs, however, that some of us requested that weren't in the microphone, so we improvised. Chouji dared Lee to sing one of the introductory songs of a cartoon called Pokemon. Lee, never being one to refuse a dare, took the offer. Tenten pulled out her radio and grabbed a CD from her room. She placed it into the radio and pressed the play button. The first song was indeed the song that Lee was dared to sing. It was so much fun, especially because he included some lame and corny dance moves into it.

"Naruto-kun, let's go somewhere private," said Ino. I nodded. She stood up first and pulled me up. She remained hold on my hand, pulling me away to follow her. I heard some very unnecessary remarks from some of the guys and a lot of giggling from the girls. Ino and I chose to ignore them and made our way to our private place.

__________________________________________________

Whew, finally done with chapter 6. It was a little longer than had I originally thought and thus, took a little longer to finish. My fingers are aching and I'm going to take a little break. I'll resume writing in a couple of days, once I have my thoughts together. I wonder what my brain will think up for chapter 7. To be honest, I just type these things as I go. I sit on my chair, put my hands on my keyboard and just start typing. I'm not even joking or bragging. I just type whatever comes to mind and somehow, it just seems to turn out alright. Anyway, see you guys later!

Ja ne!


	7. Chapter 7

**Voice of the Wanderer  
**

**Naruto Fanfiction**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a single shred of Naruto.  
**

**Chapter 7: What Else Can Go Wrong?  
**

__________________________________________________

I panted heavily, looking into the blue eyes of my girlfriend. I was on top of her, our fingers entwined together. We were laying down on one of the beds in Tenten's guest room, making out and exploring each other's bodies. I wonder how all this started... we were just talking about school, then the party, then... oh yeah. Ino started it. She started crawled to me, massaging my neck with her loving kisses. I tried to resist, but the caressing of her lips on my warm flesh was way too strong. She had her arms wrapped around me at the time, her soft touches making its way around my torso as well. I guess that's how I snapped. I turned around slowly and started having my way with her in a not so sexual way but sort of.

We have limits too, of that I'm sure. Our clothes are still intact, albeit some areas a little drenched with sweat more than others. We've been doing this for about an hour, and for some reason, I don't feel exhausted. By the look of her eyes, I don't think she's that tired either. It's been a while since we got this intimate and I kind of miss it. We can't do this kind of thing at her house anymore and her father has been returning sooner than expected from his business trips, probably to check up on her. I don't blame him, but I wish he'd give me a chance to get on his good side. Ino wrapped one arm around my neck and rested the other on my chest, kissing me softly.

I pulled away for a second, trailing my lips down her neck, sucking on the soft and creamy flesh. I heard a soft moan from her, I must be getting good at this snuggling thing. I bit on her tie with my teeth, yanking the knot right off. I inhaled her scent, arousing me even more. I started opening her blouse buttons with my teeth, wondering how I came upon this kind of sexual experience. I pulled her vest buttons off with my fingers, placing them away. Ino wasn't stopping me, so I guess I'm still in the clear. I suckled on the tender areas of her chest, feeling the plump area of her breasts. I traced my fingers along her love handles and her well toned abdomen.

"Naruto-kun... oh god... we should slow it down... a bit," she said, breathing heavily.

"Mmm... should I stop?" I asked, looking up at her.

"I don't want you to. I want you to make me yours but... we're still too young to go any further than this," she said, pulling me to her, nibbling on my ear. I caressed her neck with my lips again, gaining a satisfying moan from her once more. I placed a hand around the back of her neck, taking her lips into mine. Who knew exploring the mouth of a girl was so enticing? Our tongues lashed upon each other. When I was younger, I found this concept to be rather disturbing, but now I know why the adults liked it so much. After a good session of saliva exchange, he pulled away, leaning our foreheads on each other. We have to allow our lungs to catch up with the rest of the body.

"Ino-chan.. I love you so much," I said out of the blue. Where did that come from?

"I love you too... Naruto-kun," she replied.

*knock* *knock*

Our heads whipped to the door. It's a good thing we locked it and placed a rubber band on the door handle. If we didn't, whoever knocked would have just opened it and would see us in a not so favorable image. Ino quickly buttoned up her blouse and placed her vest back on, as well as her tie. She threw me my tie as I buttoned up my long sleeve shirt and returned the sleeves back on my wrists. Ino fixed her hair back on its long pony tail form. She then nodded at me, signalling that she was ready. I nodded and opened the door, revealing Kiba and Hinata. I raised an eyebrow, wondering what he wanted. Hinata was beside him, blushing deeply.

"Alright Uzumaki, Yamanaka-san, get out. It's our turn," he said. My jaw dropped as my face deadpanned. He disturbed us just for that? What the hell is his problem? Doesn't he know a thing or two about privacy?

"Hell no, get your own room, Inuzuka. I called dibs on this room with Ino-chan," I replied. Ino smiled next to me and took my arm, pulling us out of the room.

"Don't be greedy, Naruto-kun. Go ahead Inuzuka-san. You and Hinata-chan have fun now, okay?" she asked playfully. Hinata blushed even redder. Kiba nodded and took Hinata's hand. He removed my orange rubber band from the door handle, flicking it to me, and placed his own black rubber band on it. When we walked out and joined the others in the living room, they were playing a game of poker. We both sat down to join them. Tenten looked to me, giggling softly.

"Had your bit of fun, eh Uzumaki-san?" she asked.

"Yeah. You and your boyfriend should try it," I said, gaining a hug from Ino. Tenten crossed her arms over her chest and didn't even bother to look at Neji.

"He's never in the mood for it. We've been together for a while now and whenever I mention the idea of snuggling, he always says he's not in the mood," she said. Okay that's odd. Even with his cold exterior, Neji is a guy. And just like almost every other guy, he should at least have some kind of working hormones. Or maybe he's just that good at controlling himself. Or maybe... no that can't be right but I'll see if it's true. I looked to the pale eyed Hyuuga.

"Maybe Hyuuga-san is gay?" I asked. He glared at me with those cold eyes.

"Go ahead, Uzumaki, keep pushing it and you'll find my fist in your face," he said. I chuckled a bit. Maybe the Neji of Konoha could pull off a threat like that, but this one here can't. And even if he were to do something about it, I can react to his attacks easily.

"Just messing with you."

"Well don't. Full house, by the way," he said, revealing his cards to everyone. The others groaned and threw their cards on the ground. Tenten gathered the cards and looked at Ino and me. A smile crept in her lips. Why do I have a bad feeling about this?

"Why don't we make this a bit more interesting? Let's play strip-poker!" she said, shuffling the cards. I rolled my eyes. Can I really say no? I mean it's her birthday after all. I looked to the others, wondering if they were thinking the same as I was. Shikamaru looked to me and sighed. He then faced Tenten.

"Sure, why not? It's your birthday after all, but nothing below our underwear, got it? Not all of us are 18 years old yet," he said, gaining a kiss on his cheek from Temari. Oh yeah, I forgot that those two were dating as well. Come to think of it, most of us already have dates. Let's see now... there's still Sasuke, Chouji, Shino, Kankuro, Gaara... wait. Gaara and that junior girl have been seeing each other for a while now. Whatshername.. Matsuri? Why does her name sound so familiar... oh yeah! She's that's brown haired girl that used to follow him around, back in the past. She became a chunin and rather attractive when I last saw her in the past. I've seen her from time to time around the school, but only during recess and lunch.

We played the game for a while, and through it all, I was still able to keep a bit of my own self dignity. It's been about half an hour into the game and some of us were really down to almost nothing. Tenten had her hair down, blouse off, skirt gone, socks off, but still had her undergarments and undershirt on. Chouji was in a similar position, minus a bra of course, but he still had his socks on. Sakura only had her socks, underwear, and bra on. Shino, Gaara, and Kankuro refused to play and sat it out, reading a book or playing an instrument nearby. Lee was in his boxers and an undershirt. Temari and Shikamaru were almost naked, having only their undergarments on. Sasuke still had his undershirt, boxers, and socks on. I didn't think he'd be up for this kind of thing. Neji was about at the same predicament.

I was in a slightly better position than both the Hyuuga and the Uchiha. I was still wearing my tie, although my long sleeve shirt was gone. Even though the guys started with their jackets, and mine was still left with the room with the Xbox, I seem to have a little more luck than all of them with these card games. My tie, socks, boxers, and undershirt was really the only thing on me. I looked to my girlfriend, who seemed to be in the same problem as Sakura, but not as bad. She had only her underwear, bra, and socks. She also had her tie, on, allowing it to fall between her breasts as well as driving my hormones totally insane. I think she did that order on purpose.

"Ok, show your hands!" said Tenten. I placed my cards down, pretty confident that there was at least someone here with a worse hand than my three of a kind kings with an ace and jack as spares. I looked around and sighed. I'm not the loser around here... Sakura is, not having a single combination with her set of cards. The pink haired girl rolled her eyes, looking down at her remaining clothes to see which one she had to remove next. She exhaled a breath of relief as she took off both socks. If she lost again, Ino definitely wouldn't let me this game anymore.

"One more loss and you're gonna give Lee-san a giant nose bleed," I said. Sakura punched me lightly on the shoulder.

"If she loses one more time, Naruto-kun, I'm not letting you play anymore," said Ino. How did I know she was going to say that? The others snickered around me. I could just imagine Kiba making jokes right now. Come to think of it, what could be taking those two so long? They have to join this game. I stood up from my seat, as Tenten began dealing the cards again, and walked over to the guest room where Kiba and Hinata are supposed to be at. The farther I got from the others, the softer their voices became, and the louder the voices from the guest room began to sound. I didn't want to disturb them the way they disturbed Ino and I, but I should at least tell them what's going on. Instead of knocking, I pressed my ear against the door.

I couldn't really hear anything, not that I even cared. I shrugged my shoulders and stood up straight, deciding to knock on the door instead. I suppose I would be bothering their time together, just like I told myself not to, but I don't want them to miss all the fun that I'm having with the others. Whatever they're doing inside, they can do at their own leisure. This is Tenten's day, her birthday. Man.. don't I feel like a hypocrite...? Ino and I were in there, doing our own thing, on Tenten's own birthday. Maybe I really shouldn't bother them. I sighed to myself and decided not to. I turned back around and returned to the others. I sat down next to Ino again.

"Hey, do you know what's taking them so long?" she asked me. I shrugged my shoulders.

"They're probably just cuddling or something, like we were," I said and almost instantly covered my mouth. Temari, Tenten, and Sakura all giggled at me. Ino placed her forehead against my arm, blushing a tad bit. I did not just say that...

"Nice, Uzumaki, now they all know," said Neji. I glared at him, but did nothing further. Ino pushed me to the side gently. I mouthed an apology at her, but she rolled her eyes instead. She held onto my arm and looked at the others.

"Alright, I admit it. I was cuddling with Naruto-kun. And I'll admit something else, we've gone as far as second base," she said proudly. I exhaled a chunk of breath that I didn't even know I was holding. This girl is something else alright. Sakura's eyes widened, her jaw dropping to the ground. She placed her cards faced down on the floor and yanked my tie, pulling me to her.

"You told me you felt her up by accident. Now she's saying you can do it any time you want? You better not be molesting her or I swear, Uzumaki-san, I'll punch you all the way to Kyoto," she said protectively. I nodded, what else could I do? If her strength is parallel to how it was in the shinobi era, I better stay on her good side. Ino pulled me back to her.

"Relax, Sakura-chan. I allow him to," she said cupping my cheek and looking me in the eyes. "I trust him, and I love him."

"Really, Ino-chan?" Temari asked, disbelief in her voice. "Or is it just some high school thing? You really shouldn't just throw your "I love yous" away to boys. You should keep it in your heart until you find someone in your life who's really special."

Ouch, that kind of hurt my pride and ego. But she's right though. I love yous should be kept special for an equally special person. I looked to Ino, awaiting her response. She opened her mouth to speak, but closed it almost immediately. She was looking at Temari for a second, but quickly shifted her glance to me. She placed one leg over me and pressed me to the ground, causing some of the others to lose their ability to speak. The blond beauty lightly kissed my bottom lip, prompting me to kiss her upper lip. I kept my balance with one hand on the ground, while one hand was slithering around her waist. To my surprise though, she took my hand and placed it on her butt cheek. My face reddened deeply. When she broke out of the kiss, she looked to me.

"I love you, Naruto-kun," she said. I smiled. Was she just proving to the others that she meant her words for me? Wow.. don't I feel like the luckiest guy on earth? The others were a bit speechless. They've known Ino longer than I have and by the looks of their faces, I can safely deduce that she has never said that sweet phrase to anyone but me. She pulled herself up, I pushed myself up as well. We decided to continue the game after that, not daring to talk about what just happened. The rest of the day was spent doing just that. Sakura ended up removing her bra, which forced Ino to push me and herself out of the game. She's jealous.. I chuckled in the inside.

One by one, they started to leave for their homes as the moon was starting to rise. I suppose I should start getting home as well. I still have to take Ino-chan home and that's quite a ride from here to there. Kiba and Hinata walked out of the guest room, after being there for nearly two and a half hours. They were smiling at each other for who knows what reason. Now I sort of regret passing the opportunity of listening to them when I had the chance. They left using Kiba's car. I wanted to ask them what they were doing in there but I guess it's really none of my business. I still have some homework to do and the preparations for that history and literature assignment from Konoha will be a little stressing. Ino came from behind me.

"Are you ready to go, Naruto-kun?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'm just waiting on you," I replied. She kissed me softly on the neck. She ran off to Tenten, giving her a hug, probably as thanks for inviting us over. I walked outside with my jacket.. damn it's cold. I unchained my motorcycle and gave life to the engine. Ino walked to me and placed her helmet on, just as I did with mine. Before we rode off into the night, I removed my jacket and wrapped it around her body. When that was done, I felt her arms wrap around my waist. When I felt that she was safely fastened onto me, I tilted my hands forward, causing the vehicle to move forward with increasing speed.

"Naruto-kun.."

"What's up?"

"You love me, right?" she asked. I flinched a bit.

"Of course I love you. Why would you ask me that?"

"Would you ever keep a secret from me?"

"Ino-chan.."

"Would you?"

"I wouldn't, I promise," I replied.

"Alright.."

"What's with the odd questions all of a sudden?" I asked. She held me tighter as if I was going to leave her but I would never do that. I wonder what got her into this kind of mood. Back in the party, she was madly in love with me. And although I don't question that now, I do wonder what's gotten into her. She was silent for a few minutes, not a single word was uttered between the two of us. That is until she started speaking again.

"I had a dream last night, that we got into a fight because you kept a secret from me and I found out. I didn't say anything about it during the party but now that we're alone, I figured it would be the perfect time to do so. I know you would never do that to me, but if there's something I've learned about my dreams, they end up being real. I don't want you leave me for such a reason, but I don't want you to keep secrets from me either. So I'm going to ask you again and please don't lie to me. I promise that whatever it is, I won't get mad. I won't think any differently of you than I do right now. We'll get through it together. Are you hiding anything from me?" she asked once more.

What can I say to that? If what she says is true and that her dreams never lie to her, shouldn't I come clean? I should, I know I have to, but I don't want to at the same time. She'll be hurt and it will be all my fault. Then again, she said she wouldn't be mad, but still. It's not fair to her if I tell her that nothing happened. She'll know that I'm lying to her face and I don't want that anymore. I want to be honest with her, like she's been with me. I sighed to myself. I wonder if the Kyuubi is laughing at me right now. This will be the second time she's gotten me to confess something. But... what if I tell her something else? Maybe I won't have to completely tell her the entire truth..

"I-Ino-chan I--"

"Please Naruto-kun. No more lies. I know you've been keeping something from me and it hurts so much that my own boyfriend whom I love with all my heart, is afraid to tell me something. I don't know when I started feeling this, but I know it's true. You don't know how much it hurts for me, it really does. I want you to be able to trust me with your feelings, just how I trust you with mine," she said. Well shit.. what the fuck do I do now? I can't tell her that I kissed Hinata and enjoyed it. The very thought would crush her. But she does deserve honesty from me. Why does this have to happen to me? What the hell did I do to deserve this?

"I don't know what you want me to say. I'm not hiding anything from you," I replied.

"Are you sure? I'm not going to ask you again. I'm going to take your word for it and trust you. For once, I'm going to ignore my dream and trust in your words. Are you sure that there's nothing at all, whatsoever?" she asked. Here's the moment of truth, the million dollar question.

"Yes. There's nothing that I'm hiding from you... except..." she remained silent, as if hoping for me to say something. I want to tell her so badly, but I promised myself that I wouldn't, if only to protect her. I don't want her to see Hinata differently either. I don't want to be the one to break their friendship. "... except that I'm afraid of spiders."

"Are you... really?" she asked in disbelief. I had to make something up.

"Yeah. They're so icky and gross. I hate how they crawl to me with those skinny little legs. I find it creepy and absolutely horrifying when I see a spider, especially the ones with those big butts," I said. Just to make it well known to everyone right now, I'm going straight to hell for lying to an angel.

"Alright. If that's what it is, then I'm sorry for asking you all those questions. I don't mean to put you on the spot, but my dreams have never been wrong before. However, that can't always be the case with you, can it? You wouldn't keep anything from me, I know that. I guess I just needed to hear you say it," she said. Oh fuck. I might as well not bother raising my hopes in seeing my friends from the past in the after life. I won't be able to join them, after lying to my girlfriend like this. I should have just told her the truth, maybe things might have been more bearable that way. But I can't turn back now. I decided to walk this path and I won't turn back. But should she find out, it might as well be the end for us both.

__________________________________________________

We arrived at her house after a rather silent ride. All I could hear was the sound of my motorcycle's engine, shouting away into the night. Her father wasn't home again, a note was left for Ino on the refrigerator saying that he would be out again with some of his partners for his business. The note mentioned me too, something along the lines of murdering me if I made his daughter cry. I don't want to do that, but what if she finds out? Damn it! I knew I should have just told her when the opportunity presented itself. But maybe it's not too late. I looked to Ino, who was taking her shoes off.

"Ino-chan.. about what you said earlier.." I started. She looked to me, giving me her full attention. I sat us both on her couch, not uttering a single word. She continued looking my way, remaining silent until I've spoken my piece.

"I didn't want to tell you before, mostly afraid that you would hate me for it, but I can't lie to you anymore," I said. Ino nodded, knowing exactly what I was talking about. She took my hands into hers, holding them firmly, showing her support. Well damn, now that I'm in this predicament, I might as well just spill my guts. I hope we remain together after this.

"Ino-chan.. there is a secret that I really have been keeping from you," I continued.

"Alright. But before you tell me, why are you saying it now? I thought there was nothing in your mind that you were hiding from me," she said. I couldn't look her way. This is so much harder than anything I've ever done in my life. I knew I couldn't keep lying to her though, her of all people. It's wrong, it's messed up, and it's stupid. I have to tell her the truth.

"I know you said that you wouldn't get mad, but I needed to weigh my options for a few minutes. That's why I told you something else besides the actual secret," I replied. Geez Naruto, where do you come up with these things? I never had the intention of telling her the truth, up until now.

"That's what I was thinking too, Naruto-kun," she replied. My eyes narrowed. She knew that? But then again, how could she not? I was probably being so obvious that a blind man would have noticed. "I knew you weren't being completely honest with me, so I dropped the subject to allow you some time to think about it. I'm glad though, that you're willing to tell me. It takes real courage for a boy to tell a girl that something is wrong with him."

"I guess so," was my reply. Some courage I've got... lying to her for so long.

"Okay... what did you want to tell me?" she asked. Alright... here goes nothing.

"I..."

"I kissed Hinata. It was during our field trip to Konoha," I said. Again, the shroud of silence covered us both. I felt her hold on my hands slowly starting to soften, as if she was losing her grip. I have to do something else, say something to defend myself. "She told me that she had a crush on me but I told her that I was already in love with you. After a bit of a fight, I told her that I wanted to make it up to her. So she asked me to give her one kiss. She wanted to feel what it was that you feel, whenever we're together."

Silence.

Silence..

Silence...

"Ino-chan, I--" her grip tightened once more.

"Hold on a second, Naruto-kun. I'm trying to process that in my mind. What you just told me is a little larger than anything that I was expecting from you. I'm not mad at you, I promised that I wouldn't be. I'm just wondering why you never mentioned this earlier," she said. I tried to say something in my defense, but she was faster. "I don't know if you know this but a kiss is--"

"I know what a ki--"

"No, you don't. If you knew, you would have been able to think of some other way to repay her. I don't know why you chose to do that, that's what I'm trying to understand. I want to see things your way, but I can't..." she said. I sighed.

"That's why I didn't want to tell you. I sort of guessed your reaction."

"I would have figured it out, and if I did, things would have been worse between us."

"Worse... so I guess we're a bit broken now, huh?" I asked, fearing her answer.

"No."

'Wait, what?' I thought to myself.

"Like I said before, I'm glad you told me. I'm happy to know that you're being honest with me and I'm actually getting the same honesty from you that I am giving to you. I would rather die than to lie to you, Naruto-kun. If I don't get over this by morning, it just shows how much of a child I still am. Now I understand why you didn't want to tell me, but still, you did and I'm happy for that. I would rather you make me cry now, while we're together, than later, when we're not. At least you'll be here with me," she said.

"It's never my intention to make you cry."

"I know, and I love you for that."

"So.. are we good now?"

"That depends. Do you have any other secrets?"

"Well... I did break my middle finger while playing Rockband, at Tenten-chan's house. Now I can't flick people off and that's going to annoy me for a while, at least until my finger heals," I told her.

"Good. I don't want you flicking people off. That's not very nice," she said. She wrapped her arms around me as I lay myself down. She pulled her arms out to readjust herself so she was on top of me with her hands rested on my chest. An idea popped in my head, a second later. I removed my jacket and placed it over us. It was big enough to accommodate for two people, something which I was pretty happy for. I kind of feel satisfied now. There's no longer any burden on my shoulders and I'm free to act in any way I want. It feels good to get that off of me. I wrapped my arms around her.

"I love you, Ino-chan."

"I love you too, Naruto-kun."

"Oh, that remind me," I said as I removed my arms from her. I undid a string that was around my neck. It was the necklace that Tsunade-baachan gave me, back when I proved to her that I could master that Rasengan in a week. I removed it from my neck and wrapped it around hers. She looked at the jade emerald carefully, looking to me afterward.

"It's beautiful. What is it?" she asked.

"That necklace was given to me by the Tsunade of the past. There's only two of its kind and is worth nine gold mines and the mountains on top of it," I said. Ino raised both of her eyebrows in surprise. "I've been meaning to give it to you for a while now. I think you should have it. Don't think of it as an exchange because you gave me your ancestor's necklace. Think of it as a sign of my love for you. It holds a lot of sentimental value to me, but as you said to me before, so do you."

"Naruto-kun, I don't know what to say," she uttered. I placed a hand behind her neck, pulling her closer to me.

"Then don't say anything. Just stay with me. That's all I really want," I responded, taking her lips into mine. She placed the necklace under her blouse and returned the kiss with an equal amount of passion. This is the life I live, I suppose. I break her heart, then I mend it back. For once, I hope that I would just stop breaking her heart. But then again, what kind of life would that be? Life comes with all kinds of twists and turns, ups and downs that we all must endure through. If we don't make mistakes, how can we really call ourselves human? If we don't feel and cause pain, how can we really say that we're alive?

__________________________________________________

As the sun arose to start a new day, my eyes began to open but closed again as the sun's light started making its way through my vision. Ignoring the pain in my eyes, I opened them and looked away from the sun that was threatening to blind me. This place looks like... Ino's house? Wait, back track, I never went home? I glanced at my watch, reading the time to be 7:30 am. Holy crap, I'm gonna be late for-- oh hold on.. it's Saturday today. My body relaxed, tension leaving me. But I wonder.. why didn't I go home? I returned to my comfortable position atop.. huh? How'd I get on top? Wasn't I on the bottom? What the heck did we do last night and why don't I remember?

I looked under my-- where's my jacket? I could swear I placed that above us. I looked around for my black uniform jacket, locating it on another couch, next to the one that we were laying on. There was a red blanket over us, over me anyway. I was on top of her. Oh, that reminds me. I checked for anything suspicious under our blanket and found that we were still very much dressed. The only thing she was missing were her shoes. I still had my clothes on as well, so that's good. I looked to her sleeping face, she looks so peaceful. I placed my hand on her waist, not noticing that my hand was going lower and lower and...

"If that hand goes any lower, I'm gonna kick your butt," said my lovely angel. She turned around to face me. She greeted me with a morning kiss and smiled. "Good morning, Naruto-kun. How'd you sleep?"

"As great as always," I said. I then looked at my hand that was at her... well was formerly resting on her waist. Now it's at... holy shit! I jerked my hand away, gaining an odd reaction from Ino. She looked at me with discern. I looked at my hand and then back at her.

"Naruto-kun.. what is it?" she asked me.

"I.. um.. you see, my hand was.." I stopped. Oh what's the use in sugarcoating? If there's one thing I've learned while in this relationship, it's that I can never hide anything from her. "My hand was right in front of your... you know... womanhood."

"Okay, I'm glad you removed it then. You're allowed to touch almost any part of me, except certain boundaries. I love you, Naruto-kun, but I'm not quite ready for that yet," she said, snuggling into my chest.

"I didn't say I was either. My hand was just there and--"

"Shh... it's a good morning, let's keep it that way. You're so noisy, by the way," she said. I shrugged and embraced her instead. I love the feeling of her body against mine. This kind of intimacy is all that I've been dreaming of ever since I started taking a liking into girls, more than just friends anyway. I wonder if Sakura and I would have ever turned out like this.. not to say that I'm unhappy with my relationship with Ino though.

"Well, as happy as I am to see you too, my stomach wants more than just Ino essence," I said. If I ruined our moment, I'm sorry, but my stomach wants food! Ino chuckled at me and got up. She helped me up as well and led me to the kitchen where I started my cooking. She sat down on one of the chairs, watching as I expertly handled her kitchenware. To be honest, I have no idea what I'm going to have for breakfast. I opened her refrigerator and was absolutely astonished. The shelves were loaded with so much food that it would probably last me an entire week! I looked to Ino in amazement.

"Ino-chan, you've got so much food in this thing. I'd be set for a week with this much," I said in awe. Ino raised an eyebrow at me.

"Naruto-kun.. that much is enough to feed my father and I for a month, and you're saying it can only hold you for a week?" she giggled softly. "Where do you put it all?"

"Ano... sorry. I've just never seen so much food at one spot before."

"Ever tried going to a grocery store?"

"Oh yeah.. that reminds me. I have to do that when I go home today," I replied.

"That reminds me too, what time are you going home?" she asked. I placed my hand on my chin, thinking about a date.

"Come to think of it, I don't really know. Are you expecting anyone today?"

"No. It's just you and me, at least until my father comes home. But knowing his business trips, he's usually gone for weeks, sometimes maybe even entire months," she said. Now that woke me up. So she's alone here, in this big house for long periods of time? No wonder she wants me always coming over to keep her company. I nodded to her and grabbed pack of whatever I could grab from her refrigerator and did what I could with what I grabbed. In about half an hour, breakfast was served. It was fried rice, fried fish, and some vegetables. I served a bit of everything in one plate so Ino and I could share. She took a bite of the fried rice with fish.

"Mmm... not bad, Naruto-kun. You should come by here more often to do some cooking. My father can't cook to save his life and we usually have to get take out," she said, taking another serving of the delicious goodness. I smiled at the compliment.

"So, how do you survive? Can you cook?" he asked. Ino shook her head and pointed at the microwave behind me. I nodded slowly. Just then, I remembered something. Ino did say that I'm supposed to have detention today with Umino-sensei, right? As memory serves, all weekend detentions are done at 8:20 am. I looked to my watch, swearing that my eyes bulged out of their sockets. Ino merely continued to look at me, her chopsticks still in her mouth.

"Ino-chan, my detention, I forgot all about it!" I shouted, panicking.

"You better hurry then, Naruto-kun. It starts in a few minutes," she said, giggling. Is she actually laughing at my misery? I'll show her later on, but I have to get to school first. I rushed out of the kitchen and grabbed my jacket and my back pack. I gave Ino a kiss to the cheek before I stormed out of the house. Crap... only a few minutes left until I'm late for school... again! I hopped on my motorcycle and rode as fast as the speed limit would allow. I glanced at my watch every couple of minutes. When I arrived to school, the gates were already closed. Shoot! Am I that late? I looked to my watch again, it's already 8:30 am. I sighed and looked around me. No one was around. I chained my motorcycle and hopped over the gate.

I proceeded to the school building, preparing to go inside to Umino-sensei's class and await my punishment. I can't believe this, I missed school yesterday, I have detention today, and I'm late for that too! I really have to set my priorities straight, or perhaps pack an alarm clock with me wherever I go. Upon reaching the front door of the main building, I placed my hand on the door handle and... hold on, it won't open? I tried to force the knob to turn, but it wouldn't. Why is it locked? Don't I have detention today? I tried the back door, the side doors, none of them were opening. I slowly made my way to my motorcycle. Before I even reached it, there was a sheet of paper on the ground, near the front door. It wasn't there before. I picked it up and scanned through it.

_Kono High School, closed for the weekend. All teachers and staff are attending a retreat and won't return early morning on Monday. All students should not take this time as vacation but should work on their homeworks and projects and have them ready to be turned in by Monday._

I crumpled the sheet of paper. I came here for nothing! I could be doing something more productive right now. I could be with Ino-- wait a second. I felt the gears in my brain beginning to roll. Was Ino giggling because she knew this the whole time? Why didn't she just say something? I was absent from school yesterday so there's no way I would have known this. Why would she do that?

I hopped over the school gates once more and unchained my motorcycle, mounting it. I placed my helmet on and made my way back to Ino's house. I know she might think that it was a funny joke, but it's not. That was completely uncalled for. I wanted to spend time with her today and tomorrow. I know I'm going to be busy with a lot of school work in the following weeks, especially with that Konoha report that I still have to take care of. Well, at least she'll be at her place. She said she wasn't expecting any visitors today, so maybe I'll just let this whole thing slide. This isn't worth getting mad over, especially with what happened last night. She forgave me, and I guess I owe her one.

When I arrived at her place, I chained my motorcycle together and entered the compound. I was about to ring the doorbell when I found yet another sheet of paper on the ground. There was a rock over it, keeping it from flying away into the wind. I picked up the paper and read through it.

_Naruto-kun, if you're reading this, I'm no longer inside the house. Temari-san and the other girls picked me up about 10 minutes after you left. I've noticed that we've been together very often and I want to spend time with my other friends too. I didn't get to spend much time with them at Tenten-chan's birthday party and I want to make it up to them. Maybe you and I can hang out next week. Tomorrow is impossible for me. The girls are pulling me to spending the night with them at Sakura's house and I haven't had a sleep over with them in a long time. I hope you understand._

_Oh and, I'm sorry but yes, I did know about the whole thing about the staff going on a retreat this weekend. I didn't want to have to show you out of the door. I guess I wanted you to excuse yourself out. I don't think it would have been polite to tell you that the girls are picking me up and I wanted you out of my house. I'm really, really sorry, Naruto-kun. I'll make it up to you another time._

_I love you._

_Yamanaka Ino_

I sighed to myself as I placed the note back under the stone. I was really hoping to spend some time with her before my schedule halts me from doing so. Next week and the few possible weeks after that will be spent on schoolwork and some sports that I've been pulled into by some of the guys. I guess light night would be our last memorable night until my schedule clears up. I exhaled a breath of disappointment and returned to my vehicle, unchaining it and hopping on. I guess it's time to go home and get an early start with my school work. I still can't believe she knew about the retreat but didn't tell me. I would have preferred that she told me, that way, at least I wouldn't waste any time.

I decided to go home and take a shower. I probably smell like a gallon of expired milk right about now. I didn't bother to smell my arm pits like what every other guy does when he wants to know if he smells or not. I suppose I can get started on that Konoha assignment that I've been putting off for a while now. According to the reminder at school, the assignment is due by Monday, which is two days from now. Oh hold on, I won't be able to do it because Hinata has all our research notes. Wait, what am I thinking?

Inside my brain is all the information I'll ever need. All I need to do is to come up with a decent report and I'm all set. Still.. I do need those notes from Hinata, just to be able to show that I'm not bullshitting anything, in which case I'm not, but people these days want proof. I know I shouldn't call Hinata, since she's probably having fun with the other girls, but our grade depends on this. When I arrived home, I parked my motorcycle inside the garage and sat on my couch, grabbing my cell phone and dialing Hinata's number.

Ring...

Ring...

Voice mail...

Okay, that was a bad idea. Maybe I should just wait until tonight when they're at Sakura's house. I could still get started on it though. I have a few unused poster boards from my "back to school" shopping. I have to make it look believable, and then paste the notes there, as well as some pictures that we took. Then I'd have to create the written report and then we're all set. As I started to work on the assignment, I started to wonder why Ino didn't say anything. I really hope she was just joking with me...

"And why am I hoping that? Do I really want her to laugh at my face for my idiocy?" I asked myself. Oh great, I'm talking to myself. Now I know I'm going crazy. Congratulations Ino, you have a boyfriend who talks to himself. I sighed to myself and continued to work.

__________________________________________________

When Monday finally came, I decided to walk to school. It's not like I wanted to, but I don't have a car to put my poster board anywhere, right? If I used my motorcycle, the board would have flown away and then what? Speaking of which, I never was able to get a hold of Hinata, as my calls would usually land on her voice mail. I called Kiba about it and he said he had no idea. So, I had to rewrite the notes, spend the entire Sunday returning to Konoha, taking pictures, and then doing the rest of the assignment.

I wrote Hinata's name on the project anyway, as well as my own. I don't know why she wasn't returning my calls but I guess I have to give her the benefit of the doubt. She did help a little, after all. The walk to school was a little boring. I usually walk with Ino but when I called her, this morning, she wasn't picking up either. I checked to see if there was something wrong with my cell phone, but when I called the guys, they would pick up after two or three rings. I even called Temari, Sakura, and Tenten, but they didn't pick up either.

When I arrived at school, the gates were opened and there were already a couple of people there. Shikamaru and Lee were there, sitting on one of the benches, probably talking about who knows what. I joined them, who both greeted me, and resumed their chat about a seemingly popular online game called Maplestory. A story about maples? Who the heck would care about such nonsense? I decided to remain silent and listen to what they had to say. Just then, I remembered something that I wanted to ask them. I turned to Shikamaru.

"Hey, Nara-san," I started. He ceased his chat with Lee and faced me. "Did you and Temari-san talk at all during the past weekend?"

"You know, Uzumaki, now that I think about it, no, we didn't," he said. "I mean, it's always such a troublesome ordeal for me to hold a conversation with that woman but we always call each other on Saturdays to talk about absolutely nothing. But last Saturday... she didn't call me."

"Ahh, you have received such silent treatment as well, have you not?" asked Lee. I turned to my bowl-cut haired friend. "I have called Sakura-chan many times at Saturday and Sunday, wondering if she wanted to go out with me, but she has never returned my calls. Is it due to the fact that I now lack youthfulness because I am in high school?"

"I've been getting that treatment from Ino-chan too," I said. "We were fine on Friday, nothing going wrong. I even slept at her house after Tenten-chan's party. After I left her house on Saturday morning, she wasn't answering any of my calls. I also called Hinata-chan for our Konoha assignment notes, but she never answered me."

"I usually don't care about this sort of thing, but now it's really bugging me," said the pineapple head. He was about to say something when Temari and some of her friends, that I've never seen before, entered through the gates. Shikamaru stood up and ran over to her, probably going to ask what's been going on. I don't know what they're saying from all the way here. I saw Temari's lips move a bit and then turned her head to the other direction and walked away from him before he was able to say anything. Shikamaru returned to us, looking absolutely perplexed.

"So... what did she say?" I asked. Shikamaru looked to me with saddened eyes. For the first time since I've known him, he's actually showing emotions of saddness. Normally, he's a little bit like Sai, never showing a hint of negative emotion, although Sai doesn't show any emotion at all. Something must have gone wrong. Shikamaru opened his mouth to speak, but said nothing, remaining silent for a few seconds. He then opened his mouth again.

"She said she didn't want to talk to me and that I should go away," he replied. What the hell? Why would she say that? That blond is in love with this guy and she would say that to him? This can't be right. A few seconds later, Neji joined us, lugging his poster board on his shoulders. I wonder if the same thing happened to him too. But that can't be right either. Tenten is head over heels in love with him. But still, I have to know.

"Hyuuga-san... did Tenten-chan..."

"She's not talking to me, I don't know why, she just started avoiding me," he said all at once. He didn't even look my way, still glaring at the ground as if his most hated enemy's face was engraved down there. Why is this happening? Did something happen over the weekend that we were oblivious about? Kiba then arrived, with Chouji and Shino. Chouji and Shino seemed normal, especially with the Akimichi's usual bag of chips in his hand, and the bug boy's face always being hidden under his jacket and sunglasses. However.. Kiba didn't look so good. I walked over to him.

"Not you too..." I said. Unlike Neji, however, he actually looked my way.

"I don't get it. Hinata-chan and I were fine at Tenten's party but... on Saturday, she wouldn't return any of my calls," he said. I knew it, him too. Now I'm starting to wonder if the girls were planning anything devious. I don't want to think that way of them, especially Ino, but Chouji and Shino look fine. It's only Kiba, Neji, Shikamaru, Lee, and myself who are sulking around. And what we have in common is, we are dating one of those five girls who are currently ignoring us.

"What's up with you guys?" asked Chouji, munching away at his chips. "You guys look like zombies. Did you get any sleep at all?"

"No," we all said. At that moment, I saw Ino walking with Sakura and some other friends who I've really never seen before. They were all girls though, so I don't feel the slight bit perturbed about that. Lee and I walked over to them, expecting the same result as Shikamaru attained with Temari. Sakura was the first to notice us as she turned away. Lee picked up his pace so he could catch up to her. I walked up to Ino, who had just noticed my presence. Her face went from positive to negative.

"Ino-cha--"

"Leave me alone... Uzumaki. I don't feel like talking to you," she said, turning away from me. "Just don't talk to me and save us both the trouble."

My eyes widened, not because she turned away but because she used my last name. I placed my arms around her, but received the exact opposite reaction that I was hoping for. She removed my arms from her and turned to face me. I thought she was going to try and explain to me what was going on but instead, she pushed me away. I could feel my heart breaking. What in the world did I do to deserve this? She took a few steps back and walked away from me. Lee and I just stood there, feeling like nothing else mattered anymore. I then heard someone's voice from behind.

"Uzumaki! Lee!" the voice shouted. I turned around to see who it was. The voices belonged to Kiba and Shikamaru. "What happened? What did Yamanaka and Haruno-san say?"

"Ino-chan told me to leave her alone," I replied.

"Sakura-chan said she didn't want to look at me," said Lee, looking equally as depressed. The guys nodded slowly and walked us back to the benches.

We remained silent as Gaara and Kankuro eventually came by. They noticed the silent tension around us and decided not to ruin it. I'll have to thank them some day for that. I looked to the girls, who didn't look like they were talking all that much either. We would normally all hang out in the same area, but not today. The guys and I were sitting on the benches, our usual spot, but the girls were at the other side of the school. I wonder if I did something wrong during the weekend that might have angered Ino. But what are the chances that Kiba, Neji, Shikamaru, and Lee did the same thing?

When the bell rang, I trudged inside the building, carrying my poster board with me. This is the first time I felt so lifeless, so unwilling to do anything. I just wanted to talk to Ino, at least to understand why she isn't talking to me. I walked to my locker, slowly entering the combination. I would normally just hurry with it, get my books, and get to class, but now, I had no inclination to do so. I eventually retrieved the materials I needed for Umino-sensei's class and proceeded there. I have Shikamaru in this class with me and I'm sitting next to Tenten. Perhaps I can get some answers there.

When I arrived, I was actually one of the last ones to enter the classroom. Shikamaru was sitting on his regular seat, looking out the window, but something struck my senses as a bit of an oddity. Tenten was sitting in the back. She's supposed to be sitting next to me, so why is she sitting at a different place? I sighed as I placed my poster board near me so that it was leaning against my desk. Umino-sensei entered the class and started to take roll. When he reached my name, he looked to me.

"Ahh, Uzumaki-san. Perhaps no one told you yet but you have detention with--"

"You. Yes I know that," I said, not much emotion present in my voice.

"Right then. I'm just reminding you that you received this detention because--"

"I was absent on the day of a pop quiz and you weren't feeling up to it to not only allow me to retake that quiz but also not to give me detention for such a stupid reason. Yes, Umino-sensei, I know what the reason is," I replied. I don't care what happens now. I just want to understand. Iruka looked to me, lowering his glasses. He looked back at him. Neither of us blinked for a good minute. He raised his glasses back up to his eyes.

"Okay... well, you have detention with me after school today."

"Today only?" I mocked, standing from my seat as well as gaining a few glances from my peers. Even Shikamaru looked my way, but at least he understands how I feel. "Why not just charge me with a whole freakin' week's worth of detention? It's not like my life can get any worse than it is right now."

"Give it to me too, sensei," said Shikamaru, standing up from his seat. I looked to him and grinned. He returned the smile to me as we both looked to Iruka. "My life sucks ass right now so why not give me something to do to relieve myself of this stupid shit? Oh, there you go. Give me detention for the use of profanity!"

"Nara Shikamaru.. you wish for detention as well?" he asked.

"Did I speak French?" my friend retorted.

"Fine! You both will report here right after sixth period of every day until Friday. I'll need a lot of cleaning in this room and I'll make sure you two learn not to speak above me!" he shouted. Shikamaru and I nodded and sat down at the same time. Iruka grabbed a piece of chalk from his desk and muttered under his breath something along the lines of digenerate children. I don't give a rat's ass right now. Ino won't talk to me and what's worse is, my friends are receiving the same treatment? Just because I'm suffering doesn't mean they have to as well. I need this detention. I need time to think this through.

Class ended rather quickly, most likely because I was just tuning out Iruka's lectures. Shikamaru was doing the same, probably thinking about his situation with Temari. When the bell rang, I left my poster board in the back of the room, as it would be graded today. I have my next class with Hinata and Sai. I bet Hinata is going to sit as far away from me as possible. I asked myself this question, but I'm going to ask again. Why is this happening? I wish I knew the answer to this so I wouldn't be so mad. As I walked to class, I saw Tenten chatting with Ino and Temari. I was about to pass them, not caring for anything at the moment, when I felt a tug on my arm. I turned around to see Ino.

"You have detention for a whole week? What in the world were you thinking?" she asked.

"Oh good. You're talking to me again," I said, my anger washing away from me. I have to know why this is happening. I have to ask her before she changes her mind. I placed my hands on her shoulders. "I don't know what happened between you and me to have you ignore me like this but let's settle it between us. I think it might have something to do with the fact that I kissed Hinata and you didn't take it too well, but you don't have to get the others to ignore the guys either. If you're ignoring me because of that, then fine. But don't let them suffer too."

"That's..." she said, trailing off. She looked like she was about to speak but her eyes trailed somewhere behind me. I looked back as well, just out of curiosity, but I didn't see anything worth looking at besides the usual high school students. When I looked back at her, she removed my hands from her and stepped a few steps back, just as she did before. No... no no no no no... why is she doing this? She looked away from me.

"I can't talk to you right now. Just forget I said anything. It's your life, your mistakes, your detention. Leave me out of it," she said, walking away.

"Ino-chan, wait!"

"Just go. You..." she trailed off again. Why does she keep doing that? "Your voice annoys me."

With that, she walked away. I can't move. My body isn't responding. Then again, I don't even want to move. I don't feel like I want to move. I can't believe she just said that to me. She must not have gotten over my kiss with Hinata but what else can I do besides tell her that I'm sorry? I already apologized for it, she said she wasn't mad at me. I wonder if that's a lie too. I wonder now... has she really been completely honest with me? Why is she doing this to me? Then again, can I really blame her? I've kept so many secrets from her, maybe she's just trying to get even with me.. but still.. this?

"Why can't you just tell me what I did wrong?" I asked to myself. The question was intended for her, but she's no where near me right now. I felt a tug on my shoulder, but my body refuses to react to it. I feel like all the strength has been sapped out of me. I felt the tug again, a little stronger this time. It forced me to turn around. The hand belonged to Kiba. Shikamaru was next to him.

"Dude, I heard the whole thing. Nara is pretty pissed as well. He tried to talk to Temari but she just brushed him off. I can't believe Yamanaka would say that to you. Hinata-chan refused to say anything to me either, but let's remember that we're still at school. Come on, don't be late for your next class," he said. I felt my head nod. Was that my nerves reacting? Because I didn't tell my head to do that. And I'm sure as hell that my brain isn't properly working right now. I remained silent as I walked to Hatake-san's class.

__________________________________________________

And there goes chapter 7. I bet you're all wondering what the hell just happened there, huh? It will all be explained in the chapters to come. Don't worry, I'm not the kind of author who writes things in a story and not bother to explain why or how it happened. I never leave my readers out of the loop. Think of it as me trying to improve my skills in the field of cliffhangers... or cliffys, as the modern day fanfiction reader would say. I'll give you a hint though... black hair and bad attitude.

That's all I'm willing to say for this chapter. I bet you guys can easily figure this out but don't include his/her name in your reviews. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who doesn't know, not just yet. See you all in chapter 8! =D

Ja ne!


	8. Chapter 8

**Voice of the Wanderer  
**

**Naruto Fanfiction**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a single shred of Naruto.**

**Here comes the next installment to Voice of the Wanderer. I read all of the reviews guys and all I have to say is, you all have funny reactions. Most are completely wrong, but were funny nonetheless. Although, someone did say something about Hinata getting raped. And someone else said that Hinata came out smiling after that. Here's the clarification, she did not get raped. No girl would ever come out of a room smiling, after they got raped, at least, not a sane one. However... um... never mind, that's for another time. Just read on to find out XD  
**

**Chapter 8: Just Friends?  
**

__________________________________________________

I brushed through the day without a care in the world. Ino was the best thing to ever happen to someone like me and now I've just lost her. I spent most of my free time hanging out with the others, minus the girls. We tried once more to get them to talk to us and tell us what we did wrong, but to no avail. That was back at recess. Watching Neji must have been the hardest one for me to take. He's usually so calm and collected but when I saw him at recess, practically begging for forgiveness, I realized that he is still just human. There was a crowd around them both, he was literally on his knees, asking Tenten what he did wrong. But in his moment of weakness, she just ignored him and left.

Whenever I passed through the halls, I would see Ino happily chatting with her friends. But whenever our eyes met, she just hushed up and pretended that I didn't exist. It hurts... it hurts so much to have her react that way around me. Just last weekend, things were going great between us. Nothing could possibly go wrong.. but in the end, something did go wrong. She won't even utter a single word to me. Could she be afraid or possibly ashamed to tell me? If she could tell me where I messed up, I would at least understand why she's doing this. And as it turns out, I don't think this is even about my kiss with Hinata, because the other girls are doing it too.

Ino is very influential to her friends but I doubt even she would have been able to convince them to turn their backs on the people that love them too. She can't have done that. It's not right.. it's stupid. I understand if she somehow found them to ignore me because of my little incident but not everyone. Lunch time was pretty bad too. Shikamaru actually placed his dignity on the line, trying to get Temari to talk to him, but she wasn't budging. Kiba had no luck with Hinata either and Lee didn't even seem like he was making any progress with Sakura. It's like they started plotting against us.. behind our backs. I really wish she would tell me. Lee looked to me as we were walking to Shikamaru's house with Kiba and Neji.

"I do not believe this.. Sakura-chan refuses to speak with me. I really hope I did not do anything to hurt her feelings. What I do not understand is the fact that the others are not speaking to the rest of you. I wish I knew what it was that I did to harm my sweet angel," he said.

"Give it a rest, will you, Lee?" asked Neji, completely annoyed at his friend's antics. "They're not talking to us anymore, let's just try to accept that and move on. I've already allowed everyone to see me in my moment of weakness, just so Tenten would talk to me, but she wouldn't. The last thing I heard her say was to never speak to her again."

"I wonder if they really meant it... I wonder if we did something so wrong that could have made them act that way," said Kiba. I nodded at that. I also wish to know what it was, whatever it was that I did to make Ino ignore me.

"Tch.. I bet they're all in on it together, just to make us feel bad or something," Shikamaru said sourly, kicking a rock to the street. "But seriously.. what the fuck does that blasted woman want from me? She's already stolen my heart, my soul, my pride, and now my dignity. What else do I have left to give?"

"Maybe it was something that happened on Saturday. I mean, they all stepped out to hang out with each other, right?" I asked. I received a nod from my friends, indicating that they too were robbed of their time with their loved ones, just like I was. "I don't want to sound selfish, but I wish they didn't have to hang out, that day. Everything is so wrong now, and to make things worse, they even won't tell us what we did wrong."

As we continued our rant, we passed by a fast food restaurant. Because we spent all of recess and lunch on trying to figure out why our girlfriends were refusing to talk to our hang out with us, we never really got a proper meal. I have some money on me.. oh wait, I always do. We decided to take a pit-stop at a WacDonalds restaurant so we could satisfy our grieving stomachs. Just because our hearts were broken, doesn't mean our intestines should suffer the same fate. When we entered, we quickly made our orders, already knowing what to have even before we entered the place. We were all given a number and decided to sit at some spot that could fit five guys. We sat down and continued our rant.

"You know.. maybe we should just allow them some time off," said Kiba. I looked to him, thinking about that very interesting idea of his. "I mean they always hang out with us and maybe this is just their little way of saying that they want to spend some time off from us. Maybe we're just being a little too clingy."

"That..." I said, stopping myself. What if he's right? I mean.. I really have been devoting most, if not all, my time with her. Maybe this thing that they're doing is a result of the fact that all we really do is spend time with them. Maybe we're suffocating them. Then again.. they should also at least tell us what's on their minds. "Inuzuka.. I'd like to believe that too.. but it doesn't explain why they aren't at least talking to us about it. I can understand if Ino-chan would want to spend some quality time with herself or the others, but she knows that she should at least tell me about it so I don't get the wrong idea."

"Inuzuka, you do speak some sense, but it doesn't disregard the fact that they're being totally unreasonable with us. I mean it's not like I'll bite Ten-chan if she tells me that she wants some alone time to herself," said Neji, finally deciding to say something. "The last thing I remember doing with Ten-chan was making out and I actually wanted to do it for once. She told me she enjoyed it but then again.. well, I don't know anymore. If she was just lying to me just so she could get a decent kick out of it, then she did a great job because I fell for it."

"I don't know about you guys.." said Shikamaru, crossing his arms over his chest. "But I'm starting to think that this whole relationship thing was the worst mistake of my life. I mean, I've made a lot, and by that I do emphasize a lot. I really thought that Temari and I would last longer than this but if she's going to be immature and hide things from me, then I hope she's not expecting a positive response from me. Being in a relationship, I think, has been the biggest mistake I've ever made."

"Nara-san..." came my reply, but I couldn't say anymore. Right now, Ino isn't giving me anything less than a headache, and I hate headaches. I too thought that Ino and I would last longer than this, but if she's just trying to get away from me without telling me what's going on.. she might actually get her wish. "You know what.. you're absolutely right, Nara. I'm starting to think that being in a relationship is really troublesome, especially with a girl who enjoys keeping me in the dark."

__________________________________________________

**End of Naruto's POV (Finally huh? XD)**

**Ino's POV**

__________________________________________________

I felt my hands trembling as I heard him say that. I don't know if they've noticed it yet, but our table isn't too far from theirs. The girls and I came here so we could talk about what we were doing and if it's really worth breaking their hearts. I looked at the chicken nugget that I was holding. It suddenly feels like this is the heaviest thing I've ever carried. We were all talking a while ago, but when they arrived, we just stopped talking to listen to them. I looked to Temari, she looked so shaken up at what Shikamaru just said. It's not like we meant to do this. Breaking Naruto-kun's heart is the last thing on my agenda, but it's not like we have a choice either.

Sakura, Tenten, and Hinata weren't doing too well either. Ever since we started being friends, Tenten never really cried for any reason anymore. She used to be such a crybaby though, but now.. she looks like she's about to give in. She still had a whole burger that she hasn't touched yet, and now, I don't think she's going to. Neji is everything to her, mostly because he was the first guy to ever accept her ideals. Neji was actually the first guy I met that never thought men were superior to women and I guess Tenten loved that about him. He understood her and went so far just to make her happy.

Now I kind of regret going out with them on Saturday. They're my friends, I know that, but I should have at least told Naruto-kun. Not only did I not tell him that the school was closed for the weekend, but I led him to believe that I wasn't doing anything that day when in fact, Temari was already coming with her car to pick me up. Maybe I wouldn't feel so regretful if **HE **hadn't shown up. But what am I saying? We're the ones that lost that stupid bet, and now we were forced to do this. If we weren't so cocky at our bet, maybe this wouldn't have happened. They were ready for us, we fell right into their trap, and now the people we care for the most are suffering because of our overconfidence.

_**Flashback (Saturday morning)  
**_

_He left through the front door in a rush. He was already running late for his detention.. but at least he's out of here. I do sort of feel bad though, mostly because I wanted to at least have breakfast with him this morning. I feel a little bad though. Maybe I should have told him my plans for today, he would have understood. He's like that, he always understands me. But oh well, what's done is done. I'd better finish this up and leave the rest for later. To be honest, Temari and the others are coming over to pick me up so we could have a little girls day for us. I love spending time with Naruto-kun, no mistake there, but I also do have other friends that I have some obligation to. I stuffed another serving of rice into my mouth before taking getting ready._

_*doorbell*_

_I ran down the stairs to answer it. Finally they're here! I was afraid that they wouldn't be here in time. If Naruto-kun were to beat them here, then I'd have a lot of explaining to do to him. I'd have had lied to his face and I don't know if I can live with that. Sure he's lied to me and kept secrets from me, but now that I know them, I kind of wish he did keep it a secret. I mean, him being a ninja, able to run as fast as a car, able to jump incredibly far.. that's a bit too much for me to handle. And that thing with him kissing Hinata? He owed it to her, he had a point there. I understand why he kept that from me and again, I wish he didn't tell me. But that's all in the past now. I opened the door to see my friends in the driveway._

_"Hurry up, Ino!" Tenten shouted at me. I nodded and locked the front door to my house. I hopped inside the car as the other blond drove off. I hope Naruto-kun reads the little note that I left for him, on my doorstep, and I really hope he's not too mad with what I've done. I looked to Sakura, one of my best friends since we were kids._

_"Sakura-chan, where are we going?" I asked._

_"I'm not sure. This is Temari's idea," she replied._

_"We're going to the bar in the city. We're just gonna talk for a bit, get some breakfast or lunch, then have a bit of fun," she said. I looked slyly at her._

_"Have some fun huh? You don't get enough of that from Nara-san?" asked Tenten, laughing hysterically. Temari blushed, probably too embarrassed to say anything. That was a really low blow, but it's probably true. I looked to her though, it's not fair to let her say that without a bit of retribution._

_"What about you, Tenten-chan? Is Hyuuga-san not giving you enough attention?" I asked. Hinata chuckled at that comment, knowing her cousin to be a bit of a secluded person. Tenten silenced herself and no longer laughed. Now it was Temari's turn. I guess this is what I've been missing for a while now. I really should hang out with my friends more often. We arrived at the bar, several minutes later. We were given a table by one of the waiters as we ordered our meals. Since I had just eaten breakfast, I decided to order something light like a salad. We talked about our times with the guys and although Hinata was pretty new to the whole dating concept, she had a lot to say about Inuzuka._

_"... And then we had a very intimate moment at Tenten-chan's guest room, after Naruto-kun and Ino-chan, of course," she said. I blushed at that. She didn't have to tell the others that Naruto and I had our moment together, although that's probably what they were expecting anyway, so why try to hide it? During our chat, Temari spotted a little arcade and dragged us all inside. There were a few pool tables there. Great! Pool is one of my favorite hobbies! I grabbed a stick, and was about to play, when I felt a tug on my stick. I turned around to see Tayuya, one of Sasuke's friends._

_"Hey there, Yamanaka. Sorry but this spot is taken," she said, yanking the stick away from me. Temari came from behind me and stepped up in front of her._

_"No one was here earlier," she said. At that moment, Sasuke, Kin, Zaku, and Dosu, arrived. I never really liked Kin and Dosu. Sasuke introduced them to me when he and I were "dating" and I immediately knew that I would never get along with them. Although they seemed nice, I always got bad tensions from them when I was around them. They all grabbed a stick and started playing. As we began to take our leave, one of the waiters came to us and faced Sasuke._

_"Excuse me, Uchiha-san. Although you do have reservations here, it expired because you were late. According to rules, I had to forfeit your reservation to the next available customer," he said. I smirked and snatched the stick from Tayuya. However, before they could leave, Sasuke turned to face us, me mainly.  
_

_"The waiter has a point, but we're only a little bit ate. I think that deserves a bit of attention. But then again, he's also right that there is a rule about being late, when it comes to making reservations. So how about this.. we play against you guys. If you win, we leave. But if you lose, this table is ours. Deal?" he asked. Well, that sounds very gentlemanly. I never thought he was capable of being such a person. Before I was about to accept, Tenten came up from behind._

_"How about we raise the stakes a little?" she asked. We all turned to her. "The loser has to do a favor for the loser. Anything goes, with the limits of sex, abuse, and causing physical harm to anyone."_

_Temari, Sakura, and Hinata nodded at that._

_"I know exactly what to make you do, Kin," she said evily. I think this is going to be interesting. The 10 of us grabbed our own sticks and started our game. Just as Temari already knows what she wants Kin to do, I already know what I want Sasuke to do and I bet he won't like it._

_"Now hold on a minute. What proof do we have that you'll actually hold your end of the bargain?" asked Tayuya. Of course.. collateral. I guess these guys are playing seriously. I looked to the girls, who nodded. My friends are willing to play seriously too. Sakura looked to the other pink haired girl across her._

_"Alright, we're willing to put up some serious collateral, but you guys have to do the same. No trash objects either, like money or regular jewelry. It has to be priceless to you and has to be worth a lot of sentimental value," she said. I nodded at that. Tayuya looked to Sasuke and the rest of her friends. After a moment, they nodded. Dosu grabbed two nearby boxes, one for us, and one for them._

_Temari removed the two earrings that Shikamaru gave her for her birthday. The earring is 18 karat gold, shaped like a rhombus, with a diamond, hanging from a very short, silver chain. After placing it in the box nearest to us, Hinata was next. Hinata's item was a solid gold ring that Kiba gave to her, during Tenten's birthday party. The Hyuuga hesitantly placed the valuable item inside the box. Following her was Tenten, who's item was two hair clips, made of expertly cut sapphire. Neji had given it to her for their first month together. Sakura was next. Her item was a bracelet that Lee had given her on one of their dates. The metal of the bracelet is 20 karat gold with two small ruby on the opposite sides of each other. Lastly, it was my turn._

_I was just as hesitant with my item as Hinata was. I don't want to put this as collateral, but I have to be fair to my friends. From my neck, I unhooked the necklace that Naruto-kun gave to me. I stared at the jaded piece of jewelry on the center, fiddling my fingers on it. This is my most treasured possession because it came specially from the one I hold closest to my heart. After looking at it for another few seconds, I slowly and carefully placed it in the box with the others. Something feels wrong, I feel so naked without that thing. I've only had it for a short time and I already feel like it is already a part of me. Tenten placed a comforting hand on my shoulder._

_"Don't worry. We won't lose to them," she whispered to me. I nodded to her and looked to the opposing team, who had finished putting in their most valuable materials in their own boxes. When that was done, we placed the two boxes to the side, which were being watched by the waiter from earlier. Sasuke grinned at us. I hate that grin._

_"Let's get this game started then, shall we?"  
_

_..._

_..._

_..._

_The game lasted a little longer than I thought and I was surprised at the outcome. We were defeated. We could have won though, but Sakura missed the 8 ball by an inch. Dosu managed to easily get it in after she missed. We didn't blame anything on her though. It was like they knew what they were doing. They were ready for us and we fell for it. We laid our sticks on the ground awaiting our fate from them. It's nothing sexual or abusive, so whatever it is, I won't have to worry about hurting anyone. The opposing team was huddled together, wondering what they would do to us. I wish they'd get it over with so I could return to Naruto-kun. I really miss him already. As if answering my prayer, they finished their huddle and faced us. Sasuke made a wide grin._

_"We decided on one simple request. And don't worry, we don't want any sex, we don't see any abuse in this, and there's no physical harm intended. But before that, your collateral goes to us until our request for you is finished. You have my solemn word as an Uchiha, that nothing will happen to your items," he said as he took both boxes from the waiter. His friends took their items back. Zaku held our box of collateral in his arms.  
_

_"So what is it, Uchiha?" asked Tenten._

_"I'm glad you asked me. What we decided is... that you five are to ignore your boyfriends for a month. You are to avoid them like they're a plague, and you're not allowed to tell them why you're avoiding them. If they try to communicate by phone, you're not allowed to answer. Just let it go to your voice mail or ignore their text message if they send you any. There's no sex there, you're not abusing anyone, and you're not physically hurting them. What do you think? Well, it's not like you can refuse anyway. You guys lost fair and square. If we lost, I'd say give it your best shot, but that's not the case, is it?" He asked. Did he just say what I think he just said? I'm going to have to ignore Naruto-kun for a whole month? That would destroy him, especially if I don't tell him what's going on._

_"That's not fair!" Sakura shouted. I looked to her. I know she and Lee are dating now, but I didn't know they would be so close that she would defend him like this. "Ignoring Lee-kun is one thing, but not telling him? What kind of proposition is that? If I don't at least tell him what's happening, he'll be destroyed from the inside! I know how he works and--"_

_"Uh uh uh.." said Zaku, shaking his head. "It's true that he might destroy himself from the inside, but he'll be doing it all on his own. If he does that, it won't be your doing because, he's choosing to do that on his own accord, therefore, not violating any of the limits."_

_"And besides, Haruno-san.." said Kin. "Who said life was fair?"_

_"But this is going to be the end of our relationships with them," I said, tears threatening to fall from my eyes. The thought of never being with Naruto-kun was like a blow to my gut. "If we ignore them for a month, they'll definitely get the wrong idea. What if... what if they... what if they break up with us?"_

_"That's just too bad then," said Dosu._

_"Bastard!" Temari shouted, running to them with her fist reeled back._

_Sakura and Hinata held her back. I wanted to push her forward. I wanted to beat those guy up, but Sasuke is right. They won fair and square. They would have done whatever we wanted them to, had we won, but that isn't the case. I looked to my friends and simply pushed them back a bit, not wanting to start a fight in there. I looked to the box on Zaku's arms and glared at Sasuke, who was simply smiling at me. Just then, I heard a ring from my cell phone. I picked it up, it was Naruto-kun. I was about to answer it, when I remembered our deal. We do have to honor it._

_"Ehem... our deal?" asked Dosu. I narrowed my eyes at him and then sadly looked back at my phone. I flipped the phone open, hearing Naruto-kun's voice from the other side. I then looked back to Sasuke for a second, closing my eyes after ward. My hands were trembling as I raised the phone to my ear._

_"Na-- Uzumaki... don't... don't ever... don't ever call me again," I stuttered in between words, closing the phone slowly. __I felt a tug at my heart, as if someone was about to yank it out of my chest. One little action and it hurts so much. I gripped my phone tightly and embraced Tenten, the nearest person to me, allowing my tears to continue to fall__.  
_

_"Alright, I'm convinced," said Sasuke. I pulled away from Tenten slightly, turning to face him. "I'll see you guys at school on Monday. Again, don't worry about your items, they will not be touched and will be carefully looked after. All the same, I expect you all to adhere to our little agreement."_

_"And adding to that, we'll be watching you, in case you guys slip. If you do, we can't promise anything bad won't happen to your collateral," said Kin._

_"Don't you dare!" Temari shouted, but Sakura and Hinata held her back. Sasuke merely flashed his grin once more and walked out of the building, leaving us alone.  
_

__________________________________________________

**End of Flashback**

__________________________________________________

I glanced to Hinata, who looked like her heart was breaking from the inside. How foolish we were to have taken them on in a game that we should have avoided, much less placing our most valuable possessions in a bet. Now, because of our overconfidence, we have to ignore the ones who we care for the most. This is only the first day and already, I feel like I don't think I can handle it. The hurt in my boyfriend's face was just too much for me to bear. He wanted to talk, after our first class. I was actually about to, but saw Sasuke at the corner of my eye, watching me. It took all of my strength to turn away from him. I ended up crying on Temari's shoulder, when we went down the stairs. Suddenly, Hinata slammed her hands on the table, but not hard enough for them to hear.

"It shouldn't be this way," she said. "Kiba-kun and I just started. It hasn't even been a week for us and I'm already banned from any form of communication with him for a whole month. I'm going to miss our anniversary, I'm not going to be able to spend any time with him, and I bet Uchiha-baka is laughing right now."

"We never should have accepted that game," said Sakura.

"I never should have suggested those stakes," said Tenten.

"No," Temari added. "No one here is to blame. We were all in that game together and we lost together. I want to be with Shikamaru-kun right now, just to have him hold me in his arms like he usually would, but I can't. If we break this deal, we'd be no worse than Sasuke and his bunch of lackeys."

I nodded at that. I looked to Naruto-kun, who still didn't notice that I'm here. I just want to ran up to him, tell him that I'm so sorry.. but I can't. I should have stayed at home with him, at least this wouldn't have happened. I just hope he can endure through this and forgive me in the end. I never wanted this. I never wanted to hurt him. But because of my stupidity, I have no choice but to do so. I'm the worst girlfriend in the world. I wish I wouldn't have to watch him feel this way, but what choice do I have? I'm the one that wanted to spend some time away from him for a change, but this? This is way beyond what I could have ever asked for.

We were doing so well together. I've finally found the one who could make me the happiest girl in the world. Now I'm going to be the one to end all that. I just hope it doesn't come to that. Oh Naruto-kun... I only hope he knows that I'm suffering more than he is right now. It's taking a lot of my self control not to go over there and beg for his forgiveness. I felt my one of my legs getting restless. I looked to him again as he started eating his meal. Just watching him like this isn't enough. Since I've experienced what it was like to be with him, I never want to be without him. He's like a drug that I've gotten addicted to. I'll always love him, of that I'm sure now, but I wonder how much more of this I can take.

After a few minutes of sitting there, watching them, Tenten couldn't do it anymore. She snapped, just like how I'm about to. She stood to leave, the rest of us following her. I don't think any of my friends can stand this anymore. Just as I stood up to leave, I gave one last look to Naruto-kun. Before I was able to take my eyes off of him though, he slowly met my gaze. So he knew that I was here. We stayed that way for a while, not even blinking at all. His face looks so sad, as if his eyes were like a faucet water, just waiting to be unleashed. He looked so hurt, and with that, I feel it too. After a good several seconds, he picked up a fry and closed his eyes as he ate it, breaking our gaze. I caught up with my friends.

"Guys.. I'm gonna go home. My dad called and he's already waiting for me at school. I'll see you all tomorrow," I said. They waved their good bye to me as we went our separate ways. During my return to school, my thoughts flashed back to the seconds when my eyes were locked with my boyfriend's. He was hurt, no doubt there, but his eyes also told me something. He was confused, confused because of what I was doing, but I can't tell him. I want to, but I can't. He deserves to know. He deserves better from me but I can't give it to him. He's done so much for me, but all I've ever done is hurt him. I arrived at school in no time, my father was already there. I stepped inside as he drove off.

"You're being unusually quiet, Ino," he said. "And where's Uzumaki-san? I would have thought that he's with you."

"He... was. But he has a lot of school work to do. He went home after school," I replied, lying straight to my dad's face.

"Mm.. yeah, he did say that when I called him," he said. I blinked twice. Wait what?

"You called him? What for?"

"To invite him for dinner, a week from today," he said casually. Oh no.. "When I came home from work today, a few minutes after you left for school, I opened the microwave to see if you cooked anything for me. What I saw kind of baffled me. Fried rice, fried fish, fried... well, a lot of fried things. I tasted it and instantly loved it. I knew you couldn't have cooked that, so the only other person that popped in my mind was your boyfriend."

"Oh... well, what did he say?"

"He said he was indeed busy, but he would also make time to come over. I asked him if he could cook, I'm not exactly ashamed to admit that I can't cook, you know. He agreed and said he would surprise me with something," he continued. "You know, I'm actually starting to like this one. He's a whole lot better than that Uchiha kid that you used to bring home. And he can cook, so that's a bonus."

"Dad.. maybe you should call for a rain check. I saw his schedule for the next few weeks and they're packed," I said, hoping he would buy that.

"Nonsense," he replied. There goes my hope. "I would have thought that you'd be jumping for joy. Fathers are usually the protective ones, you know, and to hear me say that he seems like a good kid, is something that you'd hardly ever hear from me, when I'm talking about a boy that you're dating. And besides, if he wants to cancel, he seems like the type who would tell me ahead of time."

"Dad, I'm happy that he's coming but--"

"But what? Come on Ino, you can't seriously say that you don't want him to spend some time with me, do you? How am I ever going to approve of him when he takes you to those dances at school? Or maybe even prom?" he asked. Oh shit... I didn't even think about prom. Although that's next semester, what if he's not even interested in me anymore? I'm hurting him so badly that I wouldn't be surprised if... no! We'll get through this. I have to be strong.

"Never mind, Dad. Forget I said anything."

__________________________________________________

**Time skip... 1 week later. (Wow... this is the first time I've done that... it feels weird.)  
**

__________________________________________________

The past week has been really lame for me. It's like my life returned to the way it was before I met Naruto-kun, but with one difference. He's there, I can see him, but I can't interact with him. After about three days, he and the guys stopped trying to understand why the girls and I are doing this to them. I'm a bit happy of that. Maybe they caught on and decided to wait until our time is up. Then again, there's still that instance where they might have give up hope and... no, I can't think that. Naruto-kun would never do that. He knows how I feel about him. He knows that I would never intentionally do this kind of thing to him.

I paced back and forth across the living room. I glanced at my watch, my face grimacing. Naruto-kun is supposed to be here at any minute now. To be honest, I don't want him to come. I'm afraid that if he does, I won't be able to control myself and pounce at him. I've been wanting to do it all day and I'm not sure if I will be able to contain myself while he's so close. At the dinner table, we'll be sitting right next to or across from each other. What in the world am I going to do? I can't violate my promise. I have to do it for the girls. They're trying really hard too and I have to do my part as well. I can't let them down now.

*doorbell*

Oh god, that's him! I ran to the door but slowed myself down when I reached the door handle. I can't look excited when I see him. I have to act like I.. I.. no, I can't do that, no matter how hard I try. It's the effect he's had on me. No matter how hard I try, even if I'm just faking it, I can never hate him. Well, here goes nothing. I opened the door. I was right, it took a lot of control to stop myself from pouncing on him. He's dressed as though he's going to a formal dinner. Hair properly spiked, silky blue long sleeve polo, black formal pants, a brown leather belt, and black dress shoes. He even has a white tie on his neck

He bowed to me politely as I opened the door wider, allowing him access into my home. Damn it, Naruto-kun! Why did you have to dress so sharply? He smiled to me and passed me casually. Wait.. he didn't even try anything on me? I was prepared for a long awaited hug, a kiss, or something. But he didn't try anything. Of course, I would have pushed him away, but that way, I know that he's still with me. If he didn't do such things.. does that mean.. he's already slipping away from me? But it's only been one week... I shrugged to myself, following him into the kitchen.

My father was in there, greeting him. I wish I could too.

"Good evening, Yamanaka-otou-san," he said. My father smiled at him. "I'm sorry to say this, but what was it that I said I would be cooking for this evening?"

"Surprise me, Uzumaki-san," he replied. Naruto bowed as he opened the refrigerator. He didn't even look at my contents, closing his eyes. He randomly grabbed some stuff and placed them on the counter top. My father looked at him strangely. He then turned to him with that goofy smile of his, one of the traits about him that I fell in love with. I found myself smiling.

"I'm going to surprise myself too," he said as he closed the refrigerator and looked at the ingredients that he was going to work with.

My father watched in interest as Naruto made do with whatever it was that he grabbed from the refrigerator. He truly is a living, breathing, surprise. Our first date was exactly like that.. a surprise. He did the opposite of everything that I thought he would. Instead of going on his motorcycle, he carried me on his back, but it was a nice ride. Instead of going to a really nice restaurant, we went to some ramen stand, but the food was great. Instead of seeing a movie, we went to see what I thought would be a boring kabuki play, but it turned out to be the best play I've ever seen. And lastly.. I thought we were going to sit atop a really high cliff, watching the moon. But instead, he summoned a giant toad, and that's what we sat on while making out. Naruto-kun... I miss you already.

"Very nice, Uzumaki-san," said dad, snapping me out of my thoughts of the past. I watched how Naruto-kun cooked, it was like he was an Iron Chef in the making, but as a young man. I watched him cook a few times and was always amazed by it each time. He has so many of the traits that I've always wanted in a guy, but for one month, I won't be experiencing that. Naruto looked to my father.

"Thank you. I've had years of practice," he replied.

"Your parents must be very proud of your ability to cook this well, Uzumaki-san."

"Ano... Yamanaka-otou-san... I don't have parents. They died when I was a baby. I... uh... grew up in a foster home, where I was released into the world when I reached the age of 6, mostly because nobody wanted to take care of me anymore," he said. He's never said that before.. then again, he never lies. What a hard life he must have had, and here I am adding to it. I can't believe myself. Both dad and I were silent after that. I knew that he was an orphan, but I never knew that he lived on his own since he was 6 years old. After a while, all I could hear was the crackling sound of whatever Naruto-kun was cooking, and it smells great, but that's beside the point.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Uzumaki-san. Who do you live with now? Any relatives?"

"No. I live alone. I pay for my home and my education all on my own and I've never had a problem in doing so. I've learned to depend on myself, ever since I was young. When I was kicked out of the orphanage at such a young age, I thought I was a goner, but I stood up, wiped my tears, and lived on with my life. My experience as a child has made me into who I am today and I'm proud to be the Uzumaki Naruto that I grew up into," he said. I'm about ready to cry now. I never knew about this. He never told me this. He told me that he lives alone, but the rest after that was all new to me. I don't know why, but my father looked to me for a few seconds, and then back to him. Dad's eyes were sad, just as mine are right now."

"I'm sorry to hear that too, Uzumaki-san. You must have lived a very difficult life," said dad. I could tell by the trembling in his hands that he's running out of things to say. I can also tell that he's gaining a lot of respect for my boyfriend. I wish I could hug Naruto-kun right now, I so wish..

"Anyway, let's change the subject. My past is... not a very good story to tell. Um, let's talk about you, Yamanaka-otou-san. I'd like to get to know you some more," he said. I suppose that's a valid request. The boyfriend wants to get to know the parent better. I sighed in relief, silently thanking him for changing the subject. Dad leaned on the countertop, thinking of what to say.

"Well, let's see.. there's not much for me to say, really. I was born and raised in Japan. I go to other countries for my business trips. I got married, had Ino, but got divorced. But I'm sure you already knew that much from Ino. Nowadays, I often go to other countries to do my business," he said.

"That's very impressive, Yamanaka-otou-san. You sound like a very responsible and independent man," said Naruto. I feel like I'm so out of this conversation, but this is probably the closest I'll ever get to being with him until one month has passed. After a few minutes of chatting about our lives, Naruto turned the fire off. He grabbed a couple of plates and place our dinner on it and brought it over to the dining table. There were three chairs already there. Although my father and I are the only ones living in this house, my mother was here at one point as well. I guess we never really got rid of her chair, and I'm glad we didn't. We sat down and said our prayers before eating.

"Wow! Delicious, Uzumaki-san!" dad exclaimed. I found myself liking Naruto-kun's cooking more and more, every time I eat any of his dishes. He cooks very quickly, not wasting time, but the quality of the meal is nothing less than spectacular. I ate as normally as I could without looking like a pig in front of the two men. My friends know that I can be a real pig when it comes to food, but there's a time and place for everything. Naruto-kun worked hard on this dinner and I'm going to eat like a lady, for once in my life.

"By the way, Uzumaki-san. I have to apologize to the way I acted in front of you, during our first meeting. It was really impolite of me to say such things about you before I actually sat down and got to know you a bit. You seem like a very respectable and independent young man and I for one am proud that you're dating my daughter," he said. I sort of blushed at that. It's odd that dad is actually accepting Naruto-kun now.

"Ano.. Yamanaka-otou-san," he said. Wow... I really can't stop eating this stuff. I wonder if I'm going to end up growing big and fat like those girls that I see in the street, walking around with their huge butts and flabby arms. "I'm sorry for giving you the wrong impression on our first meeting. But I am not dating your daughter."

I choked on my food.

"Ino-chan and I are just friends," I placed my chopsticks down gently, looking to him with fear evident in my eyes. Did he just say what I thought he said? What's worst is, he's smiling through it all. Dad stopped eating and for a second, looked a bit disappointed. That look vanished quickly as he looked my way. I met his gaze for a brief moment, then turned back to face Naruto-kun. No... no no no no no no! This can't be happening, not on the first week!

"Huh? But I thought..." dad trailed off.

"Well.. things happened this week and.. she--"

"No I didn't!!" I shouted, standing up from my seat. Dad instantly looked to me, wondering about my sudden out burst. However, Naruto-kun was a little calmer. He closed his eyes slowly and then opened them at just the same pace, only this time, he was looking straight into my eyes. I can't believe I just did that. I'm supposed to be keeping my mouth shut, avoiding him like a plague, ignoring him. I realize now that not every part of me has accepted that yet. I sat back down on my seat, looking at the half eaten food on my plate. Suddenly, I lost my appetite. "I mean... yes I did. He's right, dad. Naruto-kun and I are just friends."

"I see. That's a rather unfortunate turn of events. I won't bother to ask how it happened. We should just enjoy this dinner. Thank you, Uzumaki-san," he said. The rest of dinner was spent in silence.. the rest of their dinner anyway. I wasn't eating anymore, having lost the will to consume any food a few minutes ago. It took every bit of energy in my body to force those words out of my mouth. Naruto-kun and I... just friends... it sounds so damn wrong! This isn't how it was supposed to end! We were supposed to be together, to grow old together, facing our midlife crisis while watching miniature versions of ourselves playing on a play pen. Then after that, we're supposed to... why...?

After dinner, Naruto-kun left. I washed the dishes alone, as dad had already gone to bed. I went through one dish after another, remembering the events that happened during dinner. I can't possibly imagine a world where Naruto-kun and I are just friends. Just last weekend, my life was perfect. I had the greatest boyfriend that a girl could ever ask for. Everything I ever wanted.. everything I ever dreamed for in a life time companion.. all of it resided within him. He loved me, just as I loved him. We were happy together, comfortable with each other, and willing to do anything to make the other happy. But then, this whole ordeal started.

In just one day, I destroyed the relationship that he and I had. We only started this semester, and we ended a month and a half later. But it was the best 45 days that I've ever had... all because I was able to spend it with my first real love. He's the first person I ever shared those words with, and probably my last. I doubt there's anyone that can ever fill the spot he had inside my heart. Now that he's gone, I don't know what I'm going to do with my life anymore. Before him, I was just passing through life. He was my reason for everything. I went to bed so I could see him in the morning. I did my homework early so I could talk to him on my phone. I changed myself.. just to be with him.

As I continued to wash and mourn the days of the past, my cell phone rang. I tried my hands and answered the phone. When I picked it up, I heard the four voices of my friends, talking at the same time. I always wondered how this was possible... five-way calling. Oh the wonders of technology.. it never does cease to amaze me.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Ino-chan... *sniff* are you... there?" asked the voice of Hinata.

"Yeah, I'm here."

"Kiba-kun broke up with me!" she cried out, bursting into a tears, at least that's what I deduced from the way she sounded. "He came by to my house a couple of hours ago, saying that we had to talk. I tried to push him away to keep to my promise but he allowed himself inside. He told me that it was the last time that he would enter my house because he was breaking up with me..."

"You're not the only one *sniff* either, Hinata-chan," said Sakura. "Lee-kun broke up with me too, about an hour and a half ago."

"Neji-kun came by earlier this evening and did the same to me," said Tenten.

"I can say the same for Shika-kun.." said Temari. All of my friends seem to have the same situation as I'm in. I wonder if the guys talked about this. They tried really hard to get us to talk to them today, but we shoved them out every time. It's only natural that they would react this way. But it's not fair! What am I going to do without him?

"Naruto-kun did the same as well, just a few minutes ago," I said, tears welling up from my eyes as I continued to wash the dishes. "I don't understand... why so damn soon?"

"I don't get it either, Ino-chan," said Tenten. "It's only been going on for one week and--"

"Actually... I do understand," I said. The others became completely silent. Hinata and Sakura were still crying in the background. "When he broke up with me, he told me that we were just friends. Upon hearing that, my heart shattered into a thousand pieces, but I realize now that what he felt must have hurt so much more. I constantly pushed him away, always refused to speak to him, and ignored him throughout the day. I know that if Naruto-kun even ignored me for a day, I would just die in the inside. And adding to that, I didn't even tell him why."

"Ino-chan.. I have to tell Shika-kun. I know it's only been a week but I don't care anymore. It might already be too late but I at least want him to know what's going on and why I'm doing this," said Temari. "I don't want to go through my life without him... I can't."

"I.. I don't either, Temari-san," I said. Well this is unexpected. My friends actually want to betray the deal and tell the guys what's really going on. I smirked. "I guess you don't mind feeling like trash when you learn that we're even worse than Uchiha-baka, huh?"

"Feeling like trash?" asked Hinata. "I would EAT trash, if it's for Kiba-kun."

"Alright, that settles it," said Tenten. "We tell the guys tomorrow."

I smiled at that and hung up my phone, feeling happier than ever. I only hope that it's not too late.

__________________________________________________

**End of Ino's POV**

**Naruto's POV (sorry, I just love telling stories in someone's POV. It makes things more fun that way =D)**

__________________________________________________

After leaving Ino's house, I quickly made my way to a park where the guys and I are meeting. The first three days of this whole ordeal was pretty much all we could take from our girlfriends. On the first day, we were just confused. We decided to give them another day to calm down from whatever they were mad about. We simply thought they were PMSing. When they were still ignoring us on the second day, we thought that they were going through their periods, but then realized that it's way too much of a coincidence for five girls to be going through their periods at the same time. The third day was when we snapped.

Neji brought up the idea of breaking up with them. I was mortified at that idea, but I felt like I was slowly dying in the inside because Ino wouldn't tell me what the hell was up in her mind. I actually considered that idea, until Shikamaru proposed something. He mentioned that what if there's someone else in the background pulling the strings? We knew for a fact that each of our girlfriends are loyal and are in love with us. There has to be someone they're bound to, and it was Shikamaru's plan to find out who that person was. I could only think of one person. The others had their suspicions as well, but we had no proof.

We had to bait him out somehow and save our damsels in distress. Okay, that sounded really corny and absolutely stupid, but that's their position right now. They really are damsels in distress. We figured that it must have happened on Saturday, when they spent the day together. We didn't bother asking around, knowing full well that either no one knew, or they just wouldn't tell us. On the fourth day, our suspicions were proven when Lee caught Hinata and Tenten talking to that son of a bitch... Uchiha Sasuke. They looked really sad and he was just laughing while they talked, but we still had no solid proof.

We have to get him out in the open somehow. The fifth day was spent thinking of just how to do that. We fondled on the idea of breaking up with them, but saved that for last. When we realized that there was no other way, we chose that idea. We would break up with them on the next day, a Saturday, which is a coincidence because it's the same day that all this started. We know that the girls love us and when we separate from them, we were taking a gamble that they would meet up and just tell us what the fuck is going on. Then we would tell them that it's over and walk away.

Sasuke would then show up, give us his evil laugh, then unveil the curtains in front of our faces and tell him "hah! I knew it was you, you piece of shit!" We planned on doing this at school, where people would see him for who he really is. It sounds incredibly rediculous though.. as if Sasuke would be stupid enough to do something like that. But we're all really stupid teenagers.. well, they are anyway, I'm just tagging along. I arrived at the park, where the others were waiting for me. I guess they finished sooner than I did, as I had some homework to take care of before going to Ino's house.

"It's about time, Uzumaki," said Neji. "So, did you do it?"

"Yeah. It was really hard to keep a straight face though," I replied. It took every ounce of my strength to keep myself from blurting out my true plans, to Ino and her father. The girls can't know of our plan, or else things may change beyond our control.

"Alright.. the first part is done," said Shikamaru, pulling out a sheet of folded paper. It was the very same paper that held all of our plans in it. It's not like Shikamaru and I were JUST cleaning Umino-sensei's room during detention. While we were cleaning, we were also discussing a plan on how to get our girlfriends back. We invited Lee, Neji, and Kiba into the room after the fourth day, when Neji brought up the whole break up thing. Umino-sensei didn't care, as long as he had more people to clean his very messy room. The paper had scribbles on it, each in our own hand writing. Shikamaru took out a pencil and crossed the first step.

"Okay, now on to the next part. We go to school tomorrow and wait for them to gather. I'm not sure if any of this will turn out the way we're planning, but if it does work out, then we may get our girls back. Besides, homecoming is on its way, and I would hate to not have a date for that stupid event," he said.

"Yeah. I don't feel like having anyone else with me, other than Hinata-chan," said Kiba.

"Right then. Anyway, do you guys have your _items _ready?" asked our fearless leader. We all nodded, knowing exactly what he was talking about. We found out on the fifth day that Sasuke and his band of losers had a little taste for a certain game that we found to be very confusing. We would challenge them in that game, beat them, then set their hostages free. Why do I feel like I'm narrating a comic book story?

"Nara-san, do you know how hard it was, for me to learn this lousy game?" asked Lee. "This game that they are interested in, does not show a single shred of youthfulness. It is petty, lame, and quite stupid."

"I know that, Lee, but we have no other choice," I told him, placing my hand on his shoulders. "I didn't think I would be able to understand it either but when I remembered that Ino-chan's happiness is riding on our victory, I told myself that I must not lose!"

"Yes, Uzumaki-san! I will not lose either!" he said, his eyes glowing with flames. I found myself mirroring his posture, the "good guy" pose, complete with the thumbs up and sparkling white teeth. Kiba, Neji, and Shikamaru all deadpanned at us. To be honest, I never liked this pose, but it was the only way, in the past, that Gai-sensei and Lee would allow me to train with them to improve my skills. It's odd, yet interesting to say that old habits do indeed die hard.

"Okaaaay... before I lose anymore brain cells from that circus side show, I want to remind you all to be at school tomorrow, as early as you can. That way, we can run through our strategy once more. Remember, the fates of our dates are riding on our victory," he said. He then caught himself saying that very lame line and slapped himself. I'm glad to know that I have such humorous friends. "What I meant to say was--"

"We got it, Nara," said Neji. "We'll be at school as early as we can."

"Yes, and do try to be there before the girls arrive," said Kiba. "It'll make for a great opening."

Silence...

Silence...

Silence...

"Seriously, can we stop with the anime-like acts of righteousness? I admit that it's funny, but you guys are just overdoing it," said Neji, a vein popping on his temples.

"Sorry bro, kinda got carried away," said Kiba.

I nodded, I too fell victim from that. Shikamaru rolled his eyes while Lee simply nodded as I did. Shikamaru placed the plans away as we bid our farewells to each other. I went home as quickly as possible, disregarding the fact that I have a math test in Asuma-sensei's class, tomorrow, that I have yet to study for. When I arrived home, I reviewed my strategy with the game that we're hopefully going to play tomorrow. I'm gonna wipe the floor with Sasuke, when I'm through with him. He'll see that when you mess with my girlfriend, you mess with me.

I had to re-read the instruction manual a few times, when I arrived home, making sure that I'm doing the right thing. I ran through my plans for a while, just to see if there's anything unpolished with my strategy that I'm unaware of. This has to go perfectly, or Sasuke may beat us and we'll never get to be with our loved ones. I sighed to myself... Neji is right, I really do have to get rid of this voice of righteousness. It's becoming rather contagious. As I flipped through the manual, my eyes landed on a picture that Ino and I took together. It was at some mall that she took me on. She promised to take me there again.

I took the picture frame from my table and smiled at it, well, mostly at Ino. I'm going to be with her again, granted I'm able to rip Sasuke a new ass for manipulating Ino to do his bidding. He did the same to the other girls, making this whole thing a lot more than just a joke. He's made this personal and he's gonna pay big time. I placed my _items _away, after another hour or two of reviewing my strategy. Sasuke and his group have been playing this game a lot longer than I have been. I've only heard of it from television and some kids that would play it on the streets or in tournaments.

Come to think of it, I can't believe people hold tournaments for this kind of thing. I can understand things like sports and chess games.. but not things like this. This is a game that 10 year olds play, not high schoolers, and the thought that Sasuke is interested in this kind of lowers my respect for him. I wonder what the Sasuke of Konoha would think if he saw his reincarnation now. He would probably impale his head with a kunai. The present Sasuke did end up turning out as nothing more than a joke, and I'm going to prove to him once and for all that he can't just lay a finger on Ino and get away with it.

I retreated to my bed, allowing sleep to take me over. In just a few hours, I would be on my way to school and facing my "best friend" in a game of a life time. The stakes are high, but the prize is all the sweeter to have, once obtained. Shikamaru thought of a consequence, should we lose, and it's a very pricey one. We have to win this, or else everything that we once knew it Kono High will be gone. I still want to graduate, I want to go to the future dances... hell, I want to fucking go to prom! This isn't gonna stop me. I will have Ino back and that guy will kiss my ass when I slaughter him tomorrow.

__________________________________________________

Hahahahaha!! I really loved this chapter. It was inspired to me while I was watching... erm... never mind. If I told you what I was watching, it would spoil most of the next chapter. To all you guys (males) out there, what would you do if your worst enemy has a hold on your girlfriend and the only way he will let go is if you beat him at his own game? I know I would do my best to overthrow him from his high horse, and save my damsel in distress.

This chapter and chapter 9 will be the only ones like this. I can assure you that the game I have in mind is something that was pretty popular when I was in middle school. I'm older now and yet I still see this game as something of a popularity among the minds of people even my age. I used to play, but it got kind of stupid for me and plus, I had other priorities at the time. I hope my skills in that game haven't rusted yet, because a good portion of chapter 9 will be about that game.

Oh man... this is gonna be fun ;)

Ja ne!


	9. Chapter 9

**Voice of the Wanderer  
**

**Naruto Fanfifction**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a single shred of Naruto.  
**

**Chapter 9: United We Stand!**

**ATTENTION: My friend requested that I write this chapter. You don't have to read this, but you can if you want to have a little bit of fun. There's a part of it that she requested. You'll know what part I'm talking about when you get to it. You can skip that whole scene and just go to the part where it finishes so you can continue with the rest of the chapter, if you want to. Again, half this chapter is for my friend.  
**

__________________________________________________

I glanced at my watch, reading that the time was 6:00 am. True to my word, I decided to come to school as early as possible. I looked to my back pack, seeing a few items that I might need today. Shikamaru's plans are usually very solid. If this all comes to pass, then I'll be in for the fight of my life. The others were silent, sitting at our usual table. The girls aren't here yet, but I know they'll be here soon. They usually come to school early, earlier than most people. It's only the guys and myself that are here at the moment, no one else. Not even Sasuke is here, which is really making me agitated. I found myself standing near a pole, my arms crossed over my chest, looking straight into the sky above. This is it.. I hate to sound anime-ish, but I have someone I want to protect.

"Uzumaki, you look tense. Just relax," said Kiba, walking up next to me. I looked to him. He's right. Maybe I really should calm down a bit. But how can I? The stakes are incredibly high. The price of my defeat may be more than what I'm willing to go with, but I know it's the only thing that can satisfy Sasuke. The guys and I talked about it and we decided that if we lost, we would go our separate ways, and I mean that literally. We would transfer out of the school, being out of the way for good. I don't want to do that, but I know it's the only thing Sasuke would accept as a condition that would be good enough to give me the chance to beat him at his own game. But I don't plan on losing. I have way too much to fight for. I will win.. if only for her.. the one who gave me a the purpose to continue living.

The wind gave a small push, causing my hair to sway in every direction. My jacket was unbuttoned, which is unusual. It's allowed in this school, as long as I wear it, but I didn't feel like wearing it the way I usually do. I clenched my fists, focusing some chakra in them. I really do have to calm down. If I release any more chakra than this, buildings will explode and it will be all my fault. I'm pissed, that much is for sure, but no one else should suffer because I am. Sasuke has no right to do this, but it's already done. The only thing I can do now is save them... and maybe if it's possible... save him too. I know now what I have to do in this era. He was my friend back then, and he will be my friend today. I will beat him to save her, and to release him too.

At the corner of my eye, I saw them.. and her. They were with the friends that they've been hanging out with, ever since the start of this whole charade. I noticed Sasuke and his posse behind them, getting out of a limosine. I gritted my teeth as his eyes connected with mine. I saw something sticking out of his back pack, causing me to grin. I guess he came prepared. He had to have known that the guys and I wouldn't just stay down, defeated. Despite the thoughts of my peers, not even my girlfriend can keep me down, especially when she's not in control of herself. I looked to my friends, who returned the glance. They saw them.. as well as the others behind them. Neji shared my grin and stood up, carrying his back pack over his shoulders.

"Let's get this party started," he said. I nodded as the rest of us hunched our back packs on our shoulders. If nothing else goes as planned, at least this part should. I walked the first few steps, my friends right behind me. We managed to catch the attention of our "girlfriends," causing them to walk towards us. When they were close enough, we ceased our walking, not looking at them. The wind continued to blow, giving our very dramatic walk a tad nicer effect. Sasuke was watching, just as we thought he would. Ino looked to him, but turned to face me anyway. She was silent for a while, as was I. I merely looked down to her, listening to the wind. A few seconds later, the silence was broken.

"Naruto-kun.."

"Ohayo, Yamanaka-san," I greeted. I noticed her face flinch for a very brief moment, but she managed to recompose herself in time, so no one else would be able to see her that way.

"Naruto-kun.. I'm so sorry," she said. I wanted to smile, take her in my arms right there, but it's not over yet. There's still something I'm waiting for. I smirked as I got what I've been silently asking for. Sasuke trudged to where I was, looking to Ino. He glared at her sharply, making me want to just shove a Rasengan into his face. It's disfigured enough as it is, but I suppose an extra push wouldn't mess it up any more than it already is. Unfortunately for me, that's not how things work in this era. Come on Sasuke, you know you want to spill it. Ino looked to him, returning the glare. She then turned to face me again.

"Naruto-kun.. I don't care what happens to me anymore. I can't continue to live my life without you. Here's the truth, the girls and I lost a bet to Uchiha-san and we were forced to ignore you and the others for a whole month. I knew that if I refused, I'd be stooping to a level even lower than him and I didn't want you to see me that way. You've told me before, when we were alone, that you always keep your word. I wanted to keep my word too but--" she was interrupted when Sasuke's hand was almost at her face, ready to connect, but it never did. I reacted just in time to slap his hand away. His eyes flared at me, but I could care less. That small action gives me all the proof that I need. The others were busy with their own girls, but looked to me with a smirk, right when they heard that sound.

"Is something wrong, Uchiha?" I asked, stepping forward so Ino was behind me. "I hope you know that it's impolite to hit girls."

"Get out of my way, Uzumaki. She lost a bet to me and she accepted the punishment for her defeat. You have no right to step in. So step aside, right now, if you know what's good for you," he said. I shook my head as my friends stepped beside me, leaving their girlfriends. Sasuke's friends came to aid him as well.

"Well, as her boyfriend, I have an obligation to protect her from scum like you," I replied. Ino placed a hand on my arm. I felt her shaking, but placed my own hand over hers, causing her to calm down.

"Naruto-kun.. I thought you.. we.."

"Sorry... I didn't want to, but pretending to break up with you was the only way I knew for you to break off of his trance on you. I know that you love me, that's how I also knew that I just needed to push you a bit. I knew that Sasuke was behind all this, but I needed proof. I knew how you would react, if I broke up with you. This is all planned, Ino-chan, and so far, it's going all good," I said, never taking my eyes off of the now brooding Uchiha. "Alright guys, let your girls know our true intentions."

I was expecting to hear something from them, but I heard nothing. I guess they decided to let their actions speak for themselves instead. I pushed Sasuke back with one hand and turned around to face Ino, who's tears were already escaping her eyes. I placed a hand around the back of her neck and allowed the other hand to rest on her waist. I pulled her to me, capturing her lips into a soft and gentle kiss. Right as our lips touched, I felt her arms wrap around my neck, pulling me to her as well. She deepened the kiss, forcing me to go deeper and deeper inside her mouth by the second. My eyes were closed at this time, as were hers. I opened one eye and saw my friends doing the same to their girlfriends. After a solid minute of our lips hungrily getting the best of each other, we pulled out.. one by one. I looked into her eyes, wiping her tears with one finger.

"I'm sorry for making you wait, Ino-chan," I said, using that old name again. "I guess I forgot to mention that you fell in love with one of the slowest learners in the world. It took me a few days to catch on to this whole deal. I'm sorry that I had to break up--"

"I don't care," she said, shaking her head. I wonder why her tears won't stop flowing... has she been keeping it hidden all this time? "I don't care about all that anymore. I regret not telling you anything in the first place. I should have told you something, at least what was going on, but I was afraid of how you'd see me if you knew that I broke a deal.. a promise."

"Oh dear..." I chuckled slightly. "I didn't know my girlfriend was like this. Idiot.. you should know by now that my feelings for you will never change. You can push me away all you want, but you'll never get rid of me."

"You called me idiot.." she said silently and laughed softly. "I guess I deserve that."

Before she could say anything else, I silenced her with another kiss, which she welcomed with open arms... erm... lips. It's rare that she opens her mouth to give me a little access. We know of our feelings for each other, but you know how girls are. They're very... I don't know. Up until now, I still can't figure them out. She's head-over-heels in love with me and still, she rarely allows me to enjoy the delicacy of her mouth. Her tongue is incredibly soft, exactly the way I remember it. I can feel her saliva draping all over my tongue.. I miss this feeling. If I ever have kids in the future, I can already imagine them telling me how gross it is to swap spit with someone else. I understand. I didn't like it at first either, but as I did it more and more, I grew to like it because...

"I'm so in love with you.. Ino-chan," I said after I pulled out.

"I'm glad you feel the same way, Naruto-kun. I was so afraid that I had lost you for good," she replied, leaning against my chest.

"I told you already, Ino-chan. You can't get rid of me that easily," I told her, placing a kiss on her head. I then realized that Sasuke was glaring at me with the fury of the sun itself. At this point, I don't care if he threw the sun at me. With Ino by my side, I will pierce through the sun.

"Uzumaki...!"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I forgot that you were still here," I said as Ino pulled away from me. Her arms were still latched on mine though, pissing off the Uchiha even further. I know his deal now. He's jealous. He's jealous that I supposedly stole Ino from him, but I didn't. He never paid any attention to her, he was never affectionate with her the way she was to him. I never stole her from him, he practically gave her away. But even at that, I didn't take her for myself... she took me. Oh yeah, I remember that there's still something else that I need to do. I looked into his eyes, feeling my friends beside me.

"I understand that there's still a deal that they have to keep for you," I said. Ino flinched once more, but I held her for a second, ensuring to her that everything was going to be just fine. "Since that deal is pretty much null and void right now, how about I offer you something else that might catch you interest?"

"It better be good.." he said, narrowing his eyes at me.

"The guys and I knew that it wouldn't be easy for us to win them away from a bet that they themselves accepted upon their own free will, but you know as well as I do that they were practically forced into it. For that reason, and as their boyfriends, we offer you something that you would very much be interested in," I said. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Just spill it and quit wasting my time," he said as I pulled out a formal sheet of paper. It actually looked like proper contract for something. Sasuke snatched it and read over it. He then looked up to me with a grin.

"The five of you are willing to transfer our of this school and continue your education at five separate places? Now that does sound interesting," he said. Ino's eyes widened as she tugged at my sleeve.

"Naruto-kun, you can't! I won't allow you to do that!" she said. I looked to me sides, the other girls had similar reactions as well, but my friends continued to smile. "You know the truth now, you know how I feel about you. Just endure the next three weeks and this can all be over."

"Sorry, Ino-chan. Normally, I would give anything you want from me, but that's one request that I can't accept," I said. Kiba placed a hand on my shoulder and smirked. He nodded to me. "Besides, the homecoming dance is in two weeks and I refuse to go as a stag."

"Wait.. what?" she asked. "You're risking your education here just so you can go to the homecoming dance with me?"

"That and so much more. I want to prove to Uchiha that he's not the king of this world," I said as I turned to him. "Now, you might want to read the next part of that contract. You'll find that you can't just force us to go. You'll have to beat us at a challenge of your choice."

"Is that so?" he asked, handing the contract to back to me. I folded the paper in half and stashed it in my pocket. Sasuke placed his back pack down and pulled out a small black box. He opened the box and revealed a deck of cards. "Then I challenge you to a game of Duel Monsters!"

Several whispers were made around us. It seems as though we actually attracted a good amount of people. I heard something along the lines of "duel monsters?" "no way Uzumaki can win.." "he's finished." "Uchiha is the best in this school.." But that didn't stop me. As if on cue, the guys and I placed our back packs down and pulled out our own deck boxes, completely surprising everyone around us, especially our girlfriends and Sasuke, including his friends. In addition to that, we also pulled out a set of customized duel discs, the very same ones from the T.V show of that weird anime. Whatsitcalled? Yu-gi-oh? Whatever. The the gadgets are gifts from Neji's family, who crafted them just for us, for this day. I inserted my arm through the machine and placed my deck box away.

"You came prepared.. I guess you saw this coming, didn't you?" asked Zaku.

"Well, it was not difficult to notice that you guys are interested in this game," said Lee.

"Alright, Sasuke, if you're willing to continue with this challenge--"

"I know," he said as he and his friends pulled out their own duel discs. The design was quite different from the ones my friends and I have. When his gear was ready, he looked to me. "I do have one more condition though. It does say in the contract that I'm allowed to add my own rule into the game that doesn't give any sort of advantage or disadvantage to either team, doesn't it?"

"Yes it does. Name your rule," said Neji. The raven-haired teen looked to his friends and started laughing a bit. I narrowed my eyes, wondering what they were up to. The rule that he's about to present cannot give his team an advantage, so what could he be laughing about? The sub-rule is pretty much a rule to add in for fun. He then looked to me with a smirk.

"Dialogue included," he said. It took us all a while to get what that meant, but when it struck our heads, it felt like a shovel smacked me in the face. This Sasuke is nothing compared to the one of the past. This Sasuke is just plain lame!

"Dialogue included? You must be joking. Can't we just play the game and get it over with? If we include dialogue, this duel will take over our class time!" said Kiba.

"What's more important, one day of class, or your girlfriend?" asked Tayuya. Kiba narrowed his eyes at the pink-haired girl and smirked. He looked to Hinata and winked one eye, causing her to blush a bit.

"Point taken," he replied as we inserted our decks into the machines. The duel discs recognized the cards and released a simple glow on the outline of the frame, as a sign of confirmation.

"Oh and, because dialogue will be included, you're right, Inuzuka, this duel will take a long time. So as to lessen the time it takes to finish this, the duel will be split into three ways. Dosu and Tayuya will be partnered up against two of your teammates in a tag-team duel. Zaku and Kin will also be partnered up against another two of your teammates," he said. Kiba winced for a second.

"So then.. that leaves you with--"

"Me," I replied. "I'll take him on. You and Shikamaru should partner up against Dosu and Tayuya. Neji and Lee will take on Zaku and Kin. Do I have any objections?"

"None here," said Neji, looking straight into Zaku's eyes. "This guy will pay for what he made Tenten-chan and I go through."

Kiba, Shikamaru, and Lee had the same reactions, looking deep into the eyes of the ones that made their loved ones suffer. Sasuke and I walked to one area of the field. We were actually in between the two other teams, who already started going all out. That Uchiha is actually smiling at me. I hope I learned enough from those youtube clips and that stupid beginner's duelist manual. The deck I constructed was mainly from some booster packs that I bought with some spare change that happened to be in my wallet on the day that I visited the care store. The manual taught me how to build a well balanced deck. A lot is riding on this duel and I can't let my friends down. Sasuke and I drew our cards and glared at each other.

"Let's duel!"

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

"Since you're the challenger, Uzumaki, you should go first," he said. I nodded as I drew my first card. I took a second glance at the contents of my hand. Okay, not a bad start. I looked to my opponent.

"I'll start with something light, just to let you catch up for a bit. I'll place a face down card on the field, and a monster in face down, defense position," I stated. Damn, I really wish we didn't have to go through this dialogue thing. It's so degrading and embarrassing. Sasuke drew his first card.

"I'll return the favor, but a little rougher. I'll place one card face down and summon Vorse Raider, in attack position," he said, placing his monster down. The graphics did a great job at giving life to the monster. Its vicious axe actually looks pretty threatening. "Vorse Raider, cut his monster down to size!"

The demonic looking warrior charged at my monster. As it got closer, my monster was revealed, a woman with a black dress, purple hair, and an eye on her forehead. She had her arms in a cross-defensive position over her chest. Sasuke's monster proceeded with slicing her in half. As my monster was destroyed, some glitters went inside my deck. I smirked a bit and took my deck out of the contraption.

The monster that your Vorse Raider destroyed was my Witch of the Black Forest. She's not very strong, but she has an insane effect. When she's destroyed during the battle phase by a monster, her effect activates, allowing me to choose a monster from my deck with 1500 defense points or fewer, and add it to my hand," I said as I scanned through my deck, choosing the monster that I needed. I added it to my hand and shuffled my deck, inserting it back inside the duel disc.

"Fine, my turn is over for now," he said, allowing me to draw my next card.

"I summon the Marauding Captain, in attack position," I said as I placed the card down, generating a computerized warrior, covered in armor from chest to toe. He also wielded two swords and had a rather dashing cape. "But wait, there's more. When my captain is normal summoned, I can summon another warrior type monster from my hand, if its level is 4 or lower. I choose Mataza the Zapper."

A samurai with pony tailed hair appeared. He had a hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to draw it. I found it odd that a samurai would have green armor, but hey, they look cool. Sasuke flinched a bit, I guess that's my cue to attack, but not just yet. I read the manual on dueling and I know that neither of my monsters are a match for his stronger one, but that's what my next move is for.

"Next, I play the spell card known as Mage Power, and attach it to my green-clad samurai," I said. My spell card appeared into my field, generating three robed men. They started chanting something incoherent, causing my samurai to glow a green color. "This card increases the attack and defense points of my monster by 500, along with an additional 500 for every spell or trap in my field. And wouldn't you know it.. I have a face down."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"This card gives my monster a grand total of 2300 attack points and 1800 defense points. Now, Mataza, attack and destroy the Vorse Raider!" I ordered. My samurai leaped into the sky and slashed a sonic wave at Sasuke's monster.

"Not so fast. I activate my trap card, Magic Cylinder," he said. The sonic wave from my samurai was absorbed into an odd cylinder shaped item. Just then, a second cylinder appeared and shot that attack to me. I felt the wave bit me, causing me to fall on my knees. Damn.. I didn't know it would hurt this much. "As you have already experienced, my trap card negates one of your monster's attacks and deducts its attack points right out of your life points."

I looked at my gear, watching as it dropped from a perfect 8000 to 5700. I stood up from the ground, gathering my strength once more. I noticed Ino watching me. I can't lose. I have to keep going. Just then, I realized something. It's still my turn. After a quick glance at my green-armored samurai, I remembered its special effect.

"I'm not done yet, Uchiha. My samurai has a special ability. It can attack twice in one turn!" I said. Sasuke's eyes widened, which sort of caught me by surprise. For someone who knows this game so well, why should he be surprised? Or maybe he's just adding into the whole dramatic effect. This guy is one of a kind. My samurai zipped from the air and appeared behind his raider, slicing it in half. Sasuke grimaced, but maybe he forgot that I still have on monster in my field. "Your turn, Marauding Captain! Attack his life points directly!" I shouted as my second monster moved in for what looks like a promising wave of pain. He ran to Sasuke and slashed him with both of his swords, forcing Sasuke down on one knee.

"Not bad, Uzumaki," he said as his life points dropped from 8000 to 7600 to 6400. He stood up and drew his card. "For my turn, I summon my two headed beast, the Mad Dog of Darkness! And in addition to that, I also equip it with the spell card known as Axe of Despair!"

As he called it out, a dog was summoned into the field. Just as its name entails, the dog did have two heads, which was kind of a creepy sight for me. It had its mouth open, releasing a lot of saliva. I felt a shiver coming up from my spine. When I thought that that's all I had to deal with, an axe appeared next to it and then immediately vanished, increasing its size. Now my two warriors looked like finger foods for it. The monster originally had a base attack power of 1900, but because of the spell card, it raised its attack points by 1000, giving it a reigning total of 2900 attack points, an insane amount for a level 4 monster.

"Now my pet, because of Marauding Captain's second effect, you can't attack the zapper, but you can start with that lame excuse for a warrior next to him. Go now, stomp on that idiot's frail warrior!" he said. The twin-headed dog jumped into the air and smashed my captain like a pancake, dealing 1700 points of damage to my life points, leaving me with a measly total of 4000. "My turn is over. Make your move, Uzumaki."

"I intend to!" I said as I drew my card. I placed a card faced down and summoned a monster in face down defense position. However, I left my monster in the attack position, maybe the draw him out into attacking. I nodded at him, signaling that my turn was over. Just as I had planned, he drew a card and immediately went to the offense, sending his beast to attack my samurai. "Hold it, I activate my trap card, Dust Tornado. This allows me to destroy one spell or trap card on the field and guess which one I have in mind? That's right, say good bye to your puppy's steroids!"

The trap card unveiled itself as a massive swirl of wind. It made its way to Sasuke's spell card and destroyed it, forcing his dog to shrink back to normal size. My samurai then reacted by cutting both of the dog's heads in one strike. When the dog was obliterated, Sasuke's points went down from 6400 to 6000. He sneered at me and placed a monster in face down defense position, and one other card in his spell/trap zone, ending his turn. I took that as a cue to draw my next card. I took a card from my hand and was about to summon it, when my eye caught the face down that he placed earlier. It might have a nasty effect. I decided to hold down my summon and went straight to the offense.

"Alright Mataza the Zapper, destroy his face down monster," I said, giving my samurai my most latest order. It ran up to the monster and cut it in half. As the monster was generated into the field, it was quickly destroyed. Sasuke smirked as both of my monsters were destroyed. "What the hell?"

"The monster that you just destroyed is known as Cyber Jar. If it is flipped face up by either me or you, its effect activates, destroying every monster in the field. The next effect helps out the both of us. It allows us to pick up five cards from our decks and special summon the monsters that are level 4 or lower. The rest are added into our hand," he said. I nodded and picked up five cards.

There were indeed two monsters that were level four and lower. I summoned them to my field, another Marauding Captain with 1200 attack points and Mystic Swordsman LV 4 with 1900 attack points. Sasuke summoned five monsters; a Berserk Gorilla with 2000 attack points, a Gyaku-gire Panda, and a Spear Dragon with 1900 attack points. The panda only has 800 attack points, but it gains 500 attack points for every monster in my side of the field. I rolled my eyes, I have two, meaning it lands with a pretty good total of 1800 attack points. I narrowed my eyes at his monsters. I wonder if he's running a beat-down deck, seeing as though his monsters are very high in attack points. The other two were Troop Dragons, having only 200 attack points each.

"Well, I think it's still my battle phase. Mystic Swordsman LV 4, destroy his panda with your magical blade," I said. Yeesh, did I just say that? I sound like such a nerd right now, but I don't care. This is actually getting pretty fun. My white-clad warrior summoned a double-bladed sword and rushed up to Sasuke's panda, destroying it in one slash. Sasuke's life points went from 6000 to 5900. "Awesome. Because my swordsman destroyed one of your monsters, the moment I end my turn, he evolves into a much stronger monster. Lastly, I place one card face down and end my turn."

When my turn ended, my swordsman's body began glowing, indicating a transformation. When the glow dissipated, it became taller and appeared with two, curved, light-based swords. My swordsman now boasted with 2300 attack points, the strongest monster in the field. And it has a nice effect too. Whenever it destroys a monster during either Sasuke's or my battle phase that monster is sent back to the top of Sasuke's deck, causing him to draw it again on his next turn. Sasuke drew his card and looked at it for a second and immediately played it on the field.

"I play the spell card known as Fissure," he said. When the card was generated into the field, a hand grabbed my Marauding Captain's foot, and dragged it down, destroying it in the process. "As you have already noticed, Fissure allows me to destroy the monster with the lowest attack points from your side of the field. Now for my next move. I sacrifice one Berserk Gorilla from my field to summon the monster known as Beast of Talwar."

Upon the destruction of one of his gorillas, a more powerful and deadly looking beast appeared. It wielded two swords and looked down at my swordsman with 2400 attack points. Oh no, if he attacks with that and destroys my swordsman, his gorilla can wipe 2000 off of my life points.

"Beast of Talwar, show our opponent who the real swordsman in this field is," he said. The monster charged at my swordsman, both swords reeled back. I smirked as I flipped one of my face down traps, face up.

"I activate the trap card known as Magical Hats," I said. My monster was then immediately flipped faced down, in defense position. "This card allows me to place your target into defense position. It also allows me to grab two non-monster cards from my deck and place them on my monster zone in defense mode with zero attack and defense points."

When my monster was placed faced down, I also placed two additional cards along with it. The faced down monsters were arranged in a random order, stopping after a few seconds. Sasuke's Beast of Talwar destroyed the card to the right, which happened to be one of my non-monster cards, a spell card called Spell Absorption. Right on cue, Sasuke's gorilla immediately attacked, destroying the card next to it. Unfortunately, that one was my swordsman. Normally it wouldn't be destroyed, but because its defense points are only a mere 1700, the gorilla's overpowering 2000 attack points was able to decimate it. Because of the effect of my Magical Hats, the third card was also sent to the graveyard.

"Good job in saving your life points, Uzumaki, but your monster wasn't so lucky," he said. I narrowed my eyes as he ended his turn. I drew my card and smirked.

"Your monsters are finished. I play the spell card, Lightning Vortex. This card--"

"I know what it does, and that's why I'm going to stop it. I activate my trap card, Magic Jammer. This trap card allows me to negate the activation of your spell card and destroy it, so long as I remove one card from my hand and add it to the graveyard," he said. As he removed a card from his hand, he managed to cancel the effects of my spell card. That really would have turned this game around. Lightning Vortex destroys all face up monsters in my opponent's side of the field, if I discard one card. But because I tried to activate it, I still have to discard a card. What a waste. I discarded my Silent Magician LV 4.

"Alright. Since I didn't summon a monster this turn, I'll place one monster in face down, defense position, and a face down card in my spell/trap zone. That ends my turn," I said. This isn't good. Sasuke drew his card and played a spell card.

"I activate two spell cards called Upstart Goblin. This card allows me to draw one card from my deck, but as a price, you are granted 1000 life points," he said as he drew two card from his deck. My life points increased from 4000 to 6000. "Next, sacrifice my Spear Dragon to bring out Summoned Skull, a powerful monster with 2500 attack points. Then, I activate my trap card, Ultimate Offering. This handy trap card allows me to offer 500 life points, granting me a second normal summon in this turn."

When his dragon vanished, it was replaced with what looked like a fiendish monster with a skeletal exoskeleton. It also had demonic looking wings and sparks were coming out from its hands. Immediately after its summon, Sasuke's life points decreased from 5900 to 5400. He then sacrificed his two Troop Dragons to bring out a fearsome creature known as Tyrant Dragon, with 2900 attack points. It has the ability to attack twice in one battle phase, if it successfully destroys a monster with the first attack. I felt my knees quivering. Sasuke has three monsters in his side of the field with over 2000 attack points. I only have one monster on my field, and although in defense position, it doesn't nearly have enough power to fend them all off.

"I hope you're ready for pain, Uzumaki. I attack with my Tyrant Dragon first," he said as his mighty creature charged at my monster. Once his dragon was near mine, my monster, the Skilled Dark Magician, appeared and was shattered like glass. "Next up, I'll barrage your life points with both the Summoned Skull and Beast of Talwar!"

Once his attack orders were released, both of his monsters darted at me. His sword-wielding monster was first, slicing me twice with blades that felt so real. Then came the skeleton monster. It charged its hands with mighty jolts of electricity and sent a massive thunderstorm at me. I shouted in pain, falling to my knees. I rested my hands on the ground for support, not allowing my body to fall just yet. Even after that massive attack, my life points had not reached zero, but drastically lowered from 6000 to 1100. I can't believe it, I barely survived that onslaught. Sasuke laughed.

"I'm not done yet. Because Tyrant Dragon destroyed your first monster, it can attack a second time!" he shouted with glee. His dragon inhaled some air and released a breath of fire at me. If this hits me, I'm fried... literally. Just before the flames collided with me, I flipped a spell face up.

"I activate Emergency Provisions! By discarding any number of spells or traps from my hand, my life points are increased by 1000 times the amount of cards that I discard," I said as I discarded two spells, gaining 2000 life points. With the increase in life points, I was up at 3100, but my victory was short as the flames made contact with me, reducing my total points to 200.

"Only 200 life points?! You better make your next move count, blondie, because after that, I'm sending you packing!" he said as he ended his turn. I stood up slowly, looking to my friends. They were all finished with their duels, coming out victorious. Ino's body was shaking. She's probably afraid that if I lose this duel, I'll be sent away, out of this school, and out of her life. I can't let that happen... I have to keep going. I looked at my deck and placed my hand on the card on top. I closed my eyes, allowing the inhaled oxygen to circulate through my body. Please let this next card be the one that I need to win... I drew my card.

"Hurry up, make your next move so I can finish you off," he said.

"I play the spell card, Pot of Greed. This card allows me to draw two additional cards from my deck," I said. Sasuke shrugged his shoulders as I drew my cards. I narrowed my eyes, examining both cards. Dark Magician and Polymerization? What the heck can I do with those? When I thought all was over, I looked at my hand. There were four cards, but one caught my attention. Buster Blader? A level 7 warrior with 2600 attack points? It would be great if I could summon it. I would be able to turn this game to my favor. It gains an additional 500 attack points for every dragon on my opponent's side of the field and graveyard. I would be able to... hold on... the Pot of Greed gave me... a wide smirk on my face.

"And just what are you smiling about?" asked Sasuke. I answered him with my next move.

"I play the spell card, Polymerization, to fuse my Buster Blader and Dark Magician to create the monster of your demise! I summon, the Dark Paladin!" I called out. I discarded the Buster Blader and Dark Magician from my hand, as well as Polymerization. The two monsters were summoned into the field and merged to become one being. The monster adoned a black robe and a pointy wizard hat. The robe had golden trimmings on it, adding to the appearance. Along with the nice robes, it held a vicious looking sword. It had a pale face, one that stared deep into the eyes of Sasuke's Tyrant Dragon.

"The Dark Paladin, although only has 2900 attack points, has a special ability. It gains 500 attack points for every dragon type monster on both our sides of the field and graveyards. I don't have a single dragon type monster, but as I recall, you do. You have two Troop Dragons and a Spear Dragon in your graveyard, as well as Tyrant Dragon on your field. With four dragons, that gives my Dark Paladin a boost of 2000 points, granting him a massive total of 4900 attack points," I said. Sasuke's eyes widened, backing up a few steps. "What's wrong, Uchiha? You shouldn't be scared yet because I have another thing in store for you."

"I remove from play; Dark Magician, Silent Magician LV 4, Mataza the Zapper, and D.D. Warrior Lady to summon two of the mightiest creatures you'll ever see in this game. I summon Black Luster Soldier, Envoy of the Beginning with 3000 attack points and Chaos Emperor Dragon, Envoy of the End to the field, also with 3000 attack points. But wait, there's more. By offering half of my life points, I activate the trap card known as Return From the Different Dimension. This allows me to bring back as many monsters that are removed from play, as possible, back to my field. Because I only have two free slots, I summon Dark Magician with 2500 attack points and Mataza the Zapper to my field with 1300 attack points."

Upon the accomplishment of my very long speech, a knight with shining gold and blue armor, was summoned to the field. It held a sword on one hand and a shield on the other. The next one was its counterpart, a large dragon with gold and green armor. Its wings flapped a huge gust of wind to Sasuke. After the dragon was summoned, a purple-clad mage appeared on the field. It looked similar to the Dark Paladin, but it had a green magi staff instead of a sword and purple robes instead of black and gold. Next to my magician, my trusty green-clad samurai was summoned, returning to me once again. Sasuke was trembling and he had a good reason to.

"Wait... where did D.D. Warrior Lady come from?" asked Sasuke.

"You don't remember? She was the other face down monster that was destroyed along with Mataza the Zapper, due to the effects of your Cyber Jar," I replied.

"Lastly, I activate the final card on my hand, a card that represents all of my friends and those I know. Although I wasn't assigned a partner to help me in this duel, they're always right beside me, cheering me on. It's their help that will send you crashing to the ground. This card raises the attack points of one of my monsters by 800 with an additional 800 points for every other monster that is on my side of the field, and I choose Dark Paladin to have this effect. I count four other monsters beside him, increasing his attack points from 4900 to 8900! I now unleash the true might of my friends, United We Stand!"

"W-wh-what the... 8900 attack points? That's insane..." said Sasuke, stepping back a bit.

"You can beat me down, Uchiha-san. You can belittle me, call me names, insult me, or even ignore me. But when you start messing with the people that I care about, you'll be lucky to only get a punch in the face. The first attack goes to my Black Luster Soldier, Envoy of the Beginning. Go now, attack and destroy Beast of Talwar. Next, Chaos Emperor Dragon, destroy the Summoned Skull," I said. The armored soldier leaped into the air and chopped the dual-sworded monster in half. Right after him, the golden armored dragon sucked in some air and blasted a stream of flames at Sasuke's Summoned Skull, burning it the ground. Sasuke's life points decreased from 5400 to 4800 to 4300.

"Finally, Dark Paladin, slay his dragon with all your strength!" I said, really getting into the game. My fusion monster charged his sword with the might of light and darkness, creating swirls of black and white energy to flow through it. With is weapon enchanted, dashed at the dragon, both hands on his magical blade. With a swift stab, his weapon pierced through the heart of Sasuke's dragon, not only destroying it, but decreasing his life points from 4300 to 0, ending the duel. The monsters vanished as the duel discs turned off.

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Ino ran to me, embracing me as tightly as she could. Because I came out victorious in the duel, I don't have to leave the school, and Ino is now free from her obligations to Sasuke. Said teen's friends gathered to him, helping him to stand from the brutal onslaught of my strongest creature. I guess that's what happens when he messes with me and the people that I care about. I returned Ino's embrace, taking her into me as close as I could. I honestly didn't think I would make it out of there, but I know that my friends are always behind me, and Ino is always beside me. With them around, there's nothing that I can't do. The rest of my friends gathered around me, just as the crowds began cheering my name.

"Naruto-kun, you did it!" she said to me.

"Yeah, I guess I did. I have you to thank for that, as well as the others," I replied. Ino pulled away, just enough to look into my eyes.

"Me? What did I do to help you? I caused a lot of pain in your heart, pain that I might never be able to relieve. I should have told you when you called me on Saturday, I should have at least given you a brief explanation before I decided not to answer your call. You were always there for me, doing whatever you could to make me happy, but I just ended up making you sad. I'm so sorry for that, Naruto-kun," she said. The feeling of hurt was definitely visible in her eyes. I smiled a bit, flowing my hand through her hair.

"Don't say that. Sure we have our tough times but doesn't that come with every relationship? Ours is no different, but it's the most beautiful thing I've ever experienced. I've been happy, so many times in my life. But when you're around me, I feel a different emotion. I feel content, like there's no one in the world that can hurt me, as long as your arms are protecting me. I know that there are times when you and I will disagree on something or one person hurts the other, but it's all part of being in love and I accept it. I don't like it, but if I don't accept it, can I honestly say that I'm in love with you?" I asked, causing her to remain silent for a few seconds.

"I guess not. I just wish I could make all this up to you, but I don't know if I can. Even with all those things you said about me, I don't know if I can find it in myself to accept your forgiveness. I hurt you, I stabbed you, I ignored you, and yet you still never gave up hope in me. Where other guys would have have turned their backs from that horrible treatment, you endured through it and found the strength to figure out that my feelings for you are real. You knew that I would never leave you, and that strengthened your resolve. If you were any other guy, I would be alone somewhere, crying in misery because that man I fell in love with, no longer loves me," she said. Wow... how the heck do I respond to that?

"I will always love you, Ino-chan, no matter what life throws at us. I actually welcome it, whatever life can place in front of me to keep me from getting to you," I said. "To me, Ino-chan, what hurts the most is to have you walk away from me. You did that, but what you also did was come back to me. Do you remember the old saying, "if you love someone, let them go?" I didn't want to let you go, but that would mean that I don't love you. Because I do, I allowed you to slip from my grasp for a while. But you know what? You came back to me, just as I came back for you. The only way for you to be rid of me is if you kill me, and even then, my spirit will always be with you."

That speech put her to tears. I could see the water forming in her eyes. She clenched her eyelids shut and pressed her face against my chest. I rolled my eyes, still stroking at her hair. Great, I made her cry again. I don't think my shirt can take anymore tears before it becomes completely drenched. She held me tighter, not willing to let go of me. Would that mean that she doesn't love me though? Perhaps, but it can also mean that she's just happy to be with me. I can settle for that.

"Na-Naruto-kun ***sniff*** I don't know how ***sniff*** I can ever ***sniff*** make it up to ***sniff*** you," she said, sobbing in between. "I want to ***sniff* **so badly but ***sniff* **I'm afraid that there may be nothing I ***sniff* **I can do to make you happy."

"Well, I do have two requests," I said. She looked up to me, her eyes reddened from tears. "The first one is for you to stop crying. I really don't feel like going back home to change my shirt. The second one is..."

I paused in mid-sentence as I dug into my pocket, pulling out two coupons from my pocket. Ino, being part of the student council, instantly recognized it. I used both coupons to fan some air into my face, trying to cool down at bit, but mostly because I was showing them off.

"I have two tickets here to the upcoming homecoming dance. One is for me, that's for sure... but that leaves me with a spare, no one to go with. Oh dear, oh my, what to do with this spare coupon. My girlfriend left me but now she's back. Whatever shall I say?" I asked, mocking myself. Her tears slowed to an eventual stop.

"Jerk.. maybe if you ask properly.." she said, causing me to grin.

"Oh gee, I would, but I'm so exhausted from dueling Uchiha-baka. Plus, I don't know the proper words to say," I replied. She rolled her eyes and snatched the two coupons from my hand. She fixed her posture and wiped her tears with her sleeve.

"Fine then, you little baby.."

"What was that?"

"You're gonna make me ask, aren't you?"

"Ask? Whatever do you mean?"

...

...

...

"Naruto-kun, will you go to the homecoming dance with me?"

"Awesome, a girl is asking me out to the dance. I should feel like the luckiest guy in the world! Of course I'll go with you, Ino-chan," I said, taking one coupon from her hand. She huffed at me, placing both hands on her hips. I smirked at her, winking with one eye.

I placed my duel disc and cards in my back pack. Ino pulled my hand and walked me to the bench where we usually sit. The others found their way to other places, deciding to be separated from the rest of us for a while. I sat down on the bench first, then came Ino, sitting on my lap. Her legs were opened. This sort of feels like an awkward position, especially since she's wearing a skirt, but I don't think she knows that. She looked down at how she was sitting, but ignored it. Okay, maybe she does know but doesn't care. She placed her arms around my neck and leaned her forehead against mine, brushing her lips against mine.

"Ino-chan... this position... I can see your--"

"I'm not forbidding you from looking. I don't really mind anyway, as long as it's your eyes and not anyone else. Although, if you keep staring like that, I'm going to start thinking you're a pervert," she said.

"If I became a pervert, would you still love me?"

"Are you seriously asking me that question?"

"Hmm... maybe I didn't include a question mark at the end of my sentence, but let's pretend I did. If I became a pervert, would you still love me?" I repeated. For a moment, she didn't say anything, just continuing to look into my eyes.

"What do you think I'll say?"

"I'm thinking somewhere along the lines of either yes or oooohhh yes!"

"The latter."

"See? I knew you'd say-- wait what?"

"I would still love you, even if you turned to a pervert. At the very least, you'll be my pervert and other girls will have to get their own. Anyway, I'm not too worried about it. I know you'll control yourself around me, even if I constantly try to tempt you," she said. She removed her tie, placing it on the table and slowly started to unbutton the buttons on her blouse with one hand. She then sat up, pushing her above average sized breasts at my face. I inhaled, allowing the scent of her skin to drive my senses wild. I felt my body relax, but this is only temporary. I better tell her to pull those things back or I might not be able to control myself.

"Ino-chan... you shouldn't do that. If you do, I think I'm gonna--"

"I dare you," she said, looking down to me.

"You really shouldn't say that."

"Or what?" she asked. I was about to pounce her right there, but I remembered that she and I were still at school. Everyone knows how deeply in love we are, but I don't think they know how intimate we've gotten so far. We're still a fairly young couple, having only been together for almost two months, yet we've gotten very close. Ino re-adjusted her buttons and placed her tie back on. Okay, now I can breath easy. I'll get her for that, but later, when we finish with today's classes. I haven't been this close to her for a week and I think I've gone way passed my limit with being away from her. Without thinking, I placed a kiss on her chin.

My lips trailed down to her neck, taking in her intoxicating fragrance. I love how she smells and I've been missing a week of this. My body needs some degree of satisfaction and it seems as thought Ino is the only person who can grant me the level of satisfaction that I need. I'm not saying that her body is a tool for me to use whenever I start feeling this way, but she never seems to mind anyway. I guess as long as I'm happy, she's happy too. That's exactly the same way I feel about her too. As long as she's happy, then I'm happy. Maybe I shouldn't get too carried away with this though. We're still at school after all.

If teachers see what I'm doing now, I doubt they would hesitate to kick me out for the day, or maybe from school for the remainder of this year. But then again, I don't really care. This is what I'm craving for right now, and it's not a good idea to ignore my cravings. I learned that first hand when I was craving for ramen once. When I found out the the ramen stand was closed for the day, I went on a rampage. I was in such a bad mood at that day and I gradually took my anger out on anyone who couldn't supply me with ramen. My anger quelled though, when Kakashi-sensei gave me a simple bow of ramen. And by simple, I mean with nothing but noodles and broth.

I was about to continue with my business, when the school bell rang. Damn it all! I finally get in the mood to cuddle and the school ruins that moment for me? It's unbelievable, to say the least. But at least the whole ordeal is over. She's back with me and she's not going to escape. Ino removed herself from me and took my hand. We walked inside the school building together. I saw my friends doing the same thing with their girlfriends. I'm glad that things are back to normal again. I wonder who will be next to try to separate us from being together. Whoever it is, whatever he or she does, Ino and I will get through it together.

If it wasn't obvious yet, we're definitely in love with each other, and no one can take that away. Ino and I parted ways when she walked to her locker and I walked to mine. I pulled out the necessary materials that I need for my class with Asuma-sensei. Oh that's right, I have a math test today that I never really studied for. I wonder how I'll do on it. I spent all of last night trying to perfect my strategy against Sasuke, that I never really got to do any studying for the math test, much less any other class that I'll be having today. I sighed to myself and shrugged my shoulders. At least Ino and I are together again. I made sure to include that in my blessings as I made my way to the classroom.

__________________________________________________

Well, there goes that chapter. I bet some of you already figured that I'd be including a bit of Yu-Gi-Oh in this chapter and I appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone... at least I hope none of you told anyone who didn't already know. I admit, I do own a duel monsters deck, but it's really dusty and old. The cards aren't updated at all but I think I made a pretty good deck. The deck that I used for Naruto's deck, actually doesn't belong to me. The deck I made is composed of dark type monsters, not really the kind Naruto would use. I figured he would be the type to remain with light types or neutral ones. The deck that Sasuke used was pretty much a bunch of cards that were just popping up from my head as I wrote that segment of the story.

All in all, things worked out great, except for one minor problem. My fingers hurt so much because I've been typing for a couple of hours now. If I had notes, I would have finished this easily but as you all should know by now, I don't write notes to plan for my stories. It all just comes into my head and doesn't escape until I type it down. I did have to take some breaks though, nature calls and food breaks, but aside from that, I was pretty straightforward with this chapter when it came to progress. I'm going to take a break now and get some sleep. It's 1:31am here and I'm tired as hell.

Oh yeah and just to mention something, I suppose it might feel like things are happening really quickly in this story, but there's a reason for that. I rarely and I do mean **RARELY **ever do time skips. Some of the content does seem rushed because I'm trying to fit it all into one year. A lot of things happen in one school year, especially senior year, and I'm trying to get in as many events as possible. Would you look at this, I'm already at chapter 9 and the time passing has only been about two months. Oh and you might have already noticed this but even though this takes place in Japan, I've never lived there, so I don't know a lot of their customs. I do apologize for that, which is why a lot of the things that are happening sounds American-ish.

Anyway, I still need to cover Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas... oh boy, that's gonna be a hard one. Then there's everything else up to finally prom night, which may not be until chapter... what... 16? 17? I dunno. After that, there's graduation, parties, summer vacation... then maybe a sequel? By the way, tell me if you guys want a sequel, I might actually write one =D

This chapter was a bit shorter than I thought but I don't care. I was able to get in everything that I needed to mention for this chapter, so I have no complaints. I'm trying to make all of my chapters have at least 10,000 words on them, but that doesn't mean I type nonsense ongoing drabbles either. I find that to be very stupid, lame, and a total waste of time. But anyway, my eyelids are failing me now so it's time to hit the sack. Good night guys, and I'll see you in chapter 10.

Ja ne!


	10. Chapter 10

**Voice of the Wanderer  
**

**Naruto Fanfiction**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a single shred of Naruto.  
**

**Chapter 10: Worth Dying For  
**

__________________________________________________

Select f(x) = sin(x) and decrease h. For what value(s) of h do you think the graph of [ f(x+h) - f(x) ] / h is close enough to the graph of the first derivative of f which is f ' (x) = cos (x)?

...

...

What the fuck...?

What kind of math is this? I never had to learn this in the shinobi era. I knew I should have listened to Asuma-sensei's lectures more. Oh well, not all of this is a complete blur to me but still... what are grown ups teaching kids these days? What do they call this stupid course? Calculus? This is nonsense! This stuff looks like those problems from my first chunin exam. I read through them but couldn't even begin to understand what any of it meant. I closed my eyes for a second and took a deep breath. The Kyuubi gave me access to his knowledge before he passed on so maybe he might know something about this. Finally, the answer came to me. I raised an eyebrow and grabbed my pencil.

The class was silent all throughout the test. I wonder if Ino or Neji are having problems with this? Probably not. I mean, they listen to this kind of thing more than I do. In fact, they don't have much of a reason except to do so. They don't have access to the Kyuubi's near infinite wisdom, like I do. I looked to Asuma-sensei, who was grading some papers. Suddenly, he stopped and looked straight at me, narrowing his eyes. I gave a smile and slightly waved my hand to him. He shook his head and muttered something that was impossible for me to hear. I returned to my work. I should at least finish this so I can get to recess. The only thing I'm really counting on is spending more time with Ino. At that moment, I felt a poke on my back.

Before I was able to react to it, I felt another poke. I placed my hand on the poked spot and felt a small piece of paper, taped to my jacket. I snatched it quickly and read over it. It was from Ino, asking what I got for number 14. I scanned through my test paper and scribbled the answer on the paper. I passed it back to her. A few seconds later, I felt that poke again. I felt my eyes twitching as I grabbed the note again. When I saw it, I had to stop myself from laughing out loud. In big, capital letters, it said "WTF??" I had that same reaction too, when I wrote my answer down. I then resumed the rest of my test in silence, taking a nap when I finished.

//////////

"Gaaaahh! That test was impossible!" shouted Neji, ruffling through his head. I chose not to laugh at my friend's misery. I would never have finished that test if not for the Kyuubi's wisdom. I guess I won't tell them that I cheated a bit. Ino latched onto my arm as I walked to my locker.

"You know, you should put your stuff away. Recess is coming and after that, we have Hatake-sensei," I said. Ino pressed her lips together and nodded. She walked over to her locker, making me wonder a few things. I shook my head against it and placed some of my books away. Before I knew it, she had returned... but this time... with all of her books on her arms. I looked at the stack of books, raising an eyebrow. "Uhh... what?"

"I was wondering, Naruto-kun. I have a friend who's locker is broken, her combination won't allow her to open her locker anymore. Luckily, she never really placed any of her belongings in her locker. I want to help her out so... I decided to give her my locker," she said.

"Okay... and?" I asked, trying to catch onto her game.

"I don't have a locker anymore."

"Well, that's because you gave it away."

"Right... but... come on Naruto-kun, it's not hard to figure out."

"I'm not following."

"Are you kidding me?"

"I wish I was."

"Naruto-kun... these are really heavy!" she said, giving her books to me. I nearly fell over because of the weight, but mostly because I wasn't prepared to actually take them from her. I decided to think about what she said. She allowed her friend to have her locker, because she's a good person and wants to help her friend out. She's talking to me with her books on her arms, as well as some other accessories and pictures. Hold on a second.. I have a locker.. she's my girlfriend.. oooohhh.. I looked to Ino when the revelation hit me like a crane ball. She was smiling brightly at me. I sighed to myself and placed her books inside my locker.

"You could have just told me, you know. I would be happy to share my locker with you," I said, aligning her books in a straight line. I placed a divider between her belongings and mine, so it would give us both easier access. My belongings were located on the upper half, while hers were on the bottom half.

"Oh and, you might want this," I said, scribbling my locker combination on a piece of paper. Ino took it, looked over it, and placed the paper inside her pocket. When I placed putting all of our belongings inside my locker, I closed the thing and headed outside with Ino. There goes five minutes out of my half hour with her for recess. The rest of our friends were already outside, dealing with their own separate business. Ino and I sat down together.

"Ino-chan, what are you wearing for the homecoming dance? Should we match? I don't know how these things go. This is technically my first year of high school, you know," I said. Ino gave it an honest moment to think about her answer.

"Just wear something formal, I guess. The student council debated about it and they just said to wear something that you would wear to a corporate meeting with CEOs to a huge company," she replied. I placed an arm around her shoulder and leaned on her.

"I get it. I know what I'm gonna wear. But what are you putting on?"

"Clothes. You don't want me going around naked, would you?"

"Actually, I probably wouldn't mind."

"You're such a hentai, you know that?"

"I am not."

"You are too."

"But you still love me."

"You're really taking advantage of that, aren't you?" she asked. I chuckled softly.

I miss this about her. She's so full of life, and I've been missing it for a whole week. I rested my body on her lap, looking up to her face. I looked around us, smiling at how happy my friends are. I guess we really are at our happiest when we're around the ones that we love. I looked to Neji, who was finally accepting those little pushes from Tenten. Normally, he would just say that he's not in the mood, but I guess after losing her for just a week, he came to realize that time waits for no man. Shikamaru had the same path set before him. He didn't really like spending too much time with Temari, thinking that she's troublesome, but hey, guys change of their girls when they're in love. I turned back to Ino, who was reading a book.

"Ano.. Ino-chan.." Ino placed her book to the side.

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to go out somewhere tonight?"

"As in tonight on a school night? I think you're insane, Naruto-kun."

"I'm being serious," I said, sitting up to face her. She continued reading her book, but I know she's listening. "It's been a while since our first date and I don't really want that to be our only date. With all the stuff that's been happening lately, don't you think we deserve a little break? You know, as a couple?"

"Maybe. But I'm busy with a lot of things this week. I'm not sure I really have much free time until next week, unless you really can't wait until then," she said. Man, this is going to be harder than I thought. I want us to spend some quality time again, just like we've been doing before.

"What if I say I really can't wait until then?" I asked. Geez, why is it so hard to ask my girlfriend for a date? Do I have to beg for a date? She can't possibly be so busy to turn down a date when it's been such a long time since we've spent any quality time together. Well maybe it hasn't been that long, but to me, it has. Last week felt like a lifetime for me, mainly because I didn't think I'd ever get to be with her again. I'm such a fool for love, I know that now. Or maybe I'm a fool for her... or maybe both?

"You're gonna have to, if you want that date. The student council just dropped a load of work for me to do, last weekend. I'll be lucky if I can finish it all by the end of next week, in time for the homecoming dance," she said, still focused on the book that she was reading. I playfully pushed her with my shoulder.

"Ne, come on. You can ignore the student council for just one night, right?"

"Nope, I seriously doubt that. I've already been ignoring most of my duties ever since I started..." she stopped. What? What was she gonna say? I hate it when she leaves me with these cliffhangers. It's like reading a really good story and the author just suddenly leaves the leader abruptly, in the middle of the good part. "I just can't, okay? Just please go with it and wait until the end of next week."

"Aww.. but that's way too long."

"Naruto-kun..." she closed her book.

"Yes?"

"No."

"But.."

"No."

"That's not fair."

"Yes--"

"Really? Great. I'll pick you up at--"

"I meant, yes it's fair. I really can't, Naruto-kun," she said as she stood up and left. I groaned to myself and slouched on the bench. Can it really hurt her to go out on one night? It's not like the student council will kill her if she misses a little thing. And besides, she was so happy to see me this morning. Now, it's all gone like it never happened. Then again, can it really be the student council that dumped her with so much work? Although these are times of peace, I'm still a trained shinobi. I know when things aren't as they seem, a lesson taught to me by none other than Kakashi-sensei. What was it that he always used to say? A ninja must see through deception. Well, there's a whole lot of deception that's going on here.

I was about to go after her, when I remembered something really important that I have to do. I slapped my forehead hard, I can't believe I actually forgot about it. Maybe it really isn't a good idea to go out on that date, now that I think about it. I have to visit _him _tonight and tomorrow. It's that time again, just like last year. But the problem is, I have school to go to, this time around. I didn't have to go to school last year. I'm going to have to miss school tomorrow, I owe _him _that much for what _he _did for me. I looked to the others, who looked so cheerful. I can't ruin their moments. This is my problem, they don't have to face it. And then there's Ino-chan. Well, I'd tell her, but she's really busy too. I guess I'm flying solo.

//////////

The rest of school flew by without much of my caring. Ino met up with me at lunch, apologizing for the way she acted around me at recess. I didn't mind, but she really is busy. She showed me her schedule and now I really feel inconsiderate for the way I tried to push her on that date. I guess she really didn't have the time after all. Considering her schedule, I should be feeling lucky that she asked me to the homecoming dance. As I contemplated at recess, I didn't bother to tell her. I took her home on my motorcycle though. I wanted to spend time with her, and so did she, but I have a lot of preparations to deal with. I told her I'd take a rain-check on it. She gave me an odd look but accepted it.

On my way home, I started thinking about what I'm going to do. I'm going to be at _that _place for a while, since I do have a lot of things to tell _him_. It's been exactly a year now, and still, I wish _he _didn't do what _he _did for me. It's not fair, life isn't fair, but what can I do about it? I should be where _he _is, but oh well. Life didn't work out that way for me. I guess fate and destiny have something else in store for me. But I wonder something... do I really deserve it? Have I really worked hard enough to deserve what they have for me? Oh great... why am I thinking such things so early? I should at least wait until I get there. When I arrived home, before I even started preparing for my trip, I received a text on my cell phone. I popped it open, it was from Ino.

_Hey, I noticed something going on at lunch, with you. I didn't ask you about it because I thought you would tell me, but you didn't. I don't mean to pry but, is something wrong?_

Great.. I knew she would ask something like that. But I don't think she needs to worry about this. I'll only be gone for a little while. And that reminds me, I should call the school today, tell them that I won't be at school tomorrow. Oh yeah, I still have to reply to Ino's text. Hmm... what should I say so she becomes comfortable and doesn't start thinking that there's something wrong with me? I thought about it for a while before inputting it and sending it. I placed my cell phone on the counter top and decided to cook a little something for tomorrow. Hmm... should I go with ramen? Nah, I always go with ramen. I went with ramen last year and the years before. I think I'll go with something different this time.

*ring* *ring*

I whipped my head to the direction of my cell phone, ringing loudly. Man, that girl texts fast. I haven't even started the fire and there it is. I opened my cell phone, just so the sound would stop. I started the fire and placed a bit of oil on the pan that I placed on the stove a second ago. I glanced at the text and read through it quickly.

_Are you sure there isn't anything wrong? You looked really out of it and I was just wondering if it's because I turned that date down. I really feel bad about it, but I showed you my schedule, remember? I really don't have the time. I'll make it up to you, kay? As soon as my schedule clears, I'll be all yours._

I sighed to myself, she's worrying too much. Well, at least it's a sign that shows she cares. I inputted my reply and sent the message, turning back to my cooking. Now where did I put that beef? Oh and vegetables, _he _always told me to eat my vegetables. Come to think of it, _he _was no where near my technical age but _he _had so much wisdom. That's probably how we became friends, because we had such great times together and good conversations. I miss our conversations, now that I think about it. They were so enticing.. so indirect.. but so fun nonetheless. After about a minute, I received another text. I rolled my eyes and grabbed my phone, flipping it open.

_Well, if you say so. I'm sorry for worrying like this, but I can't stop feeling that it's my fault, no matter how many times you say it isn't. I mean, you risked your stay in Japan, just to get my freedom back, after I lost it. You played that stupid game against Uchiha-san for me, and I'm too busy to repay the favor to you. You're my boyfriend, and I shouldn't be refusing a date from you, especially since I owe you big time and we've only really gone on one date._

Okay... what to say this time. I have to focus on my cooking, as I have a lot of other things to do. Oh yeah, I have to go and get some flowers, candles, matches, and some other things. I'm not even going to be able to work on my homework. And on top of that, I'll have to e-mail my teachers for tomorrow's homework, since I won't be there to receive it on the day of. After placing my reply on the phone, I sent the message and placed it back on the counter top. Let's see... I have to do my homework for tonight, finish these preparations, e-mail my teachers for my homework for tomorrow, call the school for my absence and... reply to another text?

_Alright, I get it. But how about this? I'll skip some of my duties and go out with you tomorrow night? I have some ifs and ends to take care of, but I want to spend time with you too. And don't take it as something that I'm doing to return a favor. I want to go out with you._

Perfect.. now she wants to go out with me. But anyway, it isn't fair. I have something else to do now and it's really important. I'm not trying to get back at her, but I think it's my turn to refuse. This is something I really need to do. Once I sent my reply, refusing the date, I returned to my cooking. I hope that's the end of the texts for today, I really have to focus on this. Sadly, that wasn't the end of the texts, as another one came in. Seriously, why don't we just call and talk it out? It would be so much faster and I wouldn't be using up so much time. I'm really starting to hate texting... and I asked the other guys why they hate it? I must be out of my mind.

_... Um, ok, now I'm really worried about you. You've never been one to turn down something like this, but I'll take your word on it. How about we do something tomorrow at school then? I don't have any student council meetings at either recess or lunch tomorrow, so maybe we can do something together?_

Maybe I should just say it, just to end all of this. I can see it right now, Ino-chan, I can't go out with you and it isn't because of what happened this afternoon. I have something that I need to take care of and we won't be able to spend time together tomorrow either because I'll be away somewhere for the day and won't be back home until dawn of the next day. I have to visit an old friend of mine who I visit once per year... on the day of his... nah, I shouldn't tell you that. It's nothing for you to worry about. Hmm... yeah, that's probably how it would go, but I bet it would stir up her curiosity even more. I sent my reply, a few seconds later. I decided not to keep my cell phone in hand this time, as I knew the reply was coming.

*ring* *ring*

And there it is. I wonder if she has a QWERTY text pad. I have this lame, old school kind where there are three to four letters per button. But oh well, I don't find the need to upgrade to a new cell phone, just so I can text faster. I don't even like texting. I opened up my cell phone and read through it.

_You... can't? Naruto-kun I... I knew I should have taken up your offer on recess. I had a feeling that my actions would have consequences, but I didn't know they would be this severe. I guess there's no way I can change your mind, is there? I'm so sorry. I wish I said yes to you today.. I'm really, really sorry._

You don't have to be sorry, it's not your fault, Ino. There's just something I really have to do that is really important to me right now. Maybe I shouldn't reply to this text, it would probably end the whole chain, but it wouldn't be right. I should at least make up a stupid excuse so I can focus on my preparations. But what should I say? Oh, how about this? Ino-chan, you should focus on your student council duties. When you finish them, we can spend as much time together as we want, without interruptions. I'll let you do your thing for now, and I'll be out of your way so you can concentrate. That doesn't sound too bad, and it's the best thing I can come up with right now. Oh shit! The beef is burning! I sent the reply quickly and returned to my cooking.

Oh good... it's not burning and I'm just imagining it. Texting really does take a lot of time out of my concentration. It's been a while now, and I haven't gotten a text back from Ino yet. Well, at least this way, I can focus on my cooking. I placed a lid over the pan and ran upstairs to grab my lap top. I'm glad I have wireless internet connection in this place, so I can e-mail my teachers from the kitchen. When I returned, I heard my cell phone beeping on the counter top. Ahh, it was wishful thinking and a good few minutes of silence. I better see what she said. I placed my lap top down and opened up my cell phone.

_Naruto-kun, don't say that, you're not in my way at all. I'm sorry if I make you feel that way though, I know I can be like that sometimes. I really do want to make it up to you, but I am wondering something. Why can't we do anything tomorrow at school? Are you going to be busy?_

Oh forget this.. I'll just call her.

*ring* *ring*

"Hello?"

"Ino-chan.. sorry, but yes I will be busy tomorrow. I haven't told you or the others this but I won't be at school tomorrow. Something came up and it requires my attention. You don't need to worry about it though, it has nothing to do with us," I said. I heard her breath from the other line.

"Oh.. I guess that's why we can't do anything together at school tomorrow. Where are you going?" she asked.

"I have to visit someone, an old friend of mine. It's going to take me quite a while to get there, that's why I'm not coming to school tomorrow." I replied. Actually, I'm not so sure about that anymore. It kind of just came out but oh well.

"I understand. So, there's nothing wrong with our relationship?"

"I would hope not. Why would you ask that?"

"It's just that... I haven't been pulling my end in this relationship. There's always something that gets in my way and it ends up hurting you. You may not be in the student council, but I'm sure you have other priorities but you always have time for me. I guess what I'm trying to say is, I don't think I've been treating you fairly," she said. I sighed at that, as there is some truth behind it.

"Don't worry, I don't feel offended. You just do what you need to do, I won't be going anywhere. Don't worry too much, okay? It's gonna give you wrinkles and white hair," I said. I instantly clasped my mouth when I finished saying that. If there's one thing I've learned in high school, guys should never insult their girlfriends' appearance. She laughed slightly at that. Wait... why?

"I suppose you're right. Anyway, I'll see you whenever I see you. I have to go now, I have some things to do. Bye, Naruto-kun, I love you, and I promise to make this up to you some time."

"I love you too, Ino-chan," I said as we both hung up at the same time. Alright then, time to finish with this cooking so I can get with all the other stuff. I still have a long list of things to do and I have to finish it all before I leave, tonight.

__________________________________________________

I collapsed on my bed, not feeling the need to do anything for a few hours. I finished all of my preparations, e-mails, calls, texts, and... bleh, I'm too tired to think right now. I better not sleep, I have a lame history of not waking up when I'm supposed to. I stood up straight and devoured a food pill. I'm going to need energy for where I'm going to go. And I can't take my motorcycle either, the engine it too loud for where I'm going. I wonder what I have to say to him this time. I'm always telling him how my life has been and I bet he gets bored of it, even though he never replies and only listens. I really wish he would say something though.. I really do miss him.

Glancing at my watch, I realized that it's about time that I do get going. I packed everything in a fairly large back pack and walked out of my house. As I walked outside, the wind began whirring around my clothes. I knew it was going to be cold, so I decided to wear a few more things than usual. Loose black jeans would keep my legs warm, and my usual pair of shoes for my feet. I decided to wear a matching black long sleeve top and my tactical jounin vest. I didn't want to wear it this time, but the extra pockets hold some very important materials that I might need. Over that, I wore a black, leather jacket, but kept the zipper down. The wind danced around my hair, I always did love this feeling.

When my house was no where to be seen, I took a turn at an alley. I looked around me, sensing that no one was around. I formed a hand seal and vanished. I reappeared at a cemetery. This is where I should be, or a place similar to this. But since this is my last life, I guess I'm going to be able to join my friends here, or at least those who I made after Konoha. I walked through the isles of the graveyard, glancing at a few notable ones, but I didn't come here to visit them, at least not yet. I stopped walking as I arrived to the grave in question. I looked down at it and brushed some dirt that has gotten on the gravestone.

I looked around my surroundings. It's so dark and creepy in this place, but seems fitting for those who's lives have ended and has gone to a better place. Hundreds of gravestones are all in here, rows upon rows, columns upon columns. There are statues of angels here, probably made so the spirits of the dead can rest in peace without being disturbed. I suppose these angel statues protect the spirits from demonic forces... then again, do I really believe in that kind of thing? Oh right, I'm a living relic of the shinobi past. I've seen things that others would assume as demonic practice. Just my ability to do jutsus might already seem like a demonic practice, because of the use of hand signs, and blood for summons.

"Hey, how's it going?" I asked. Of course, no one replied back. "I came back, just like I said I would. You didn't abandon me like I told you to, and now here you are. Well, you would probably still be right here, whether you came back for me or not."

"Oh and guess what? You lost our little bet because I actually have a girlfriend now and she's madly in love with me," I said. I formed the hand seal for the shadow clone jutsu, creating one clone. That clone used the transformation jutsu to become a chair for me to sit on. I wonder just how long this clone can retain this form, especially with me sitting on him. I placed my pack down and sat on the chair.

"I suppose I could visit your girlfriend, if you want, just so I can tell myself that I visited both of my friends. I know she's up there with you now but according to memory, she's probably in her 80s by now, maybe older, give or take," I said to the gravestone, feeling a sharp wind flow through me. My eyes narrowed by reflex. "Hey, at least I didn't say she's a total geezer, alright? If anything, I'm older than both you, and your grand parents combined!"

I sighed.

"Anyway, I made some pretty decent friends here too. Remember when I told you of my shinobi heritage? I met the reincarnations of my friends from the past, here! Can you believe it? What are the chances, right? They all pretty much act the way they did in the past," I paused. It's quiet now, no winds, no crickets, nothing.

"Okay seriously, you don't have to act so surprised. The only ones who sort of act differently are my teachers, who by some strange coincidence, is almost every adult I've met in my life as a shinobi. Although, one of the stranger things is the fact that Jiraya doesn't act as much of a pervert as I thought. I thought that was pretty weird," I said, grabbing a bag of chips and starting devouring them.

"Speaking of which, how do you like it up there? Have you met my friends from the shinobi era yet? They're pretty nice, I suppose," I said. I reached into my pack and grabbed a can of orange soda. As I inserted the straw, I felt that wind again. I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

"I know what you're thinking, and my answer will be the same as I it was last year. I do not, will not, don't intend to, and will most likely never drink one shred of alcohol. I don't know why the adults like that stuff. I mean, I took a sip of it once, when you and I went into that bar once, several decades ago. Remember what happened then? I spat it all in your face. I can't stand the taste and I don't know why you like it," I said, placing the can of orange soda on the ground and continued munching away at my chips. "It all went in your eyes and you were practically blind for four days!"

I laughed.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it. I just felt like reminiscing old memories and I thought it would be kind of fun to strike at your with your back turned for once," the winds calmed. "Hah! What do you have to say now? If memory serves, you were the one who always placed a 'kick me' sign on my back. Then others would see it and kick me. I would never know why until you started laughing so hard, while pointing at my back."

"Anyway, I promised myself to be here for the rest of the day, but I do have an ever-worried girlfriend who loves me. Tell you what though, I'll visit your old girlfriend, okay? I'll give her your regards. After that, I might have to get going home. I do have a homecoming dance to attend, you know," I said, standing up from my seat. The orange chair poofed out of existence. I finished my chips and downed the rest of my soda, throwing it away at a nearby trash can, which wasn't as near as I thought it would be. I was about to leave, but instantly remembered something. I turned back to the gravestone and pulled something out of my back pack.

"Rest in peace, old friend," I said, placing a rose near his gravestone, before walking away. This place always did give me fond memories, but like the shinobi era, I have to learn to let go. I suppose it doesn't mean that I won't stop visiting my friends, but there has to come a time that I have to accept their deaths and move on. I'll join them one day, of that I'm sure.

I made my way out of the cemetery and took the path to my late friend's girlfriend's house. I'm not sure if she would remember me, as the last time I saw her was at the funeral of my friend. She used to be so happy and full of spirit, but I guess his death took a huge toll on her. I looked up to the sky, feeling a small yawn coming up. Walking around this place helps me to remember the days when I was here too, but with my friends, when they were still alive. It's been close to 200 years now, and I still haven't let go. He was a very good friend, after all.

We both joined the army, sometime during the year 20th century, in America. We met at boot camp, where I was the top of my class because of the military strategies in my head from my shinobi days, and my excellent physical condition. He was of equal rank as I was, and that's how it's always been between us. We would challenge each other, and he always surprised me because he reminded me a lot of myself, when I was truly his age. I would always push myself to do my best, and I guess I kind of lost that aspect of me, when I left the shinobi lands to travel the world.

We were living the good life, especially after the boot camp. We were both promoted to Sergeant-Major and were given our own platoons to lead. We were then sent to Iraq, under the guidance of whom I later thought to be the most idiotic leader of the United States, at the time, President Georg W. Bush. There was a so called "war" going on, but I didn't think such a thing existed. Those were times of peace, and that knucklehead of a leader, led many people to their deaths and placed the economy in a financial distraught. But even though those hard times, we made it out alright.

He and I even had a bet. We betted that we would never get romantically close to anyone, beyond the boundaries of friendship. He lost that bet after about a week or so, when he fell head over heels for once of the medics in the medical corp. She was very beautiful, reminded me a lot about Ayame-neechan, Teuchi's daughter. She actually liked me first, but I told her that my friend liked her more, and I only wanted to be her friend. Eventually, they hit it off and they became one of the most gorgeous couples I've ever seen. They had so much in common, but always argued, which kind of made me laugh. We were inseparable... until...

That day... It was a routine mission, similar to something that we've done for a long time. He and I were 27 years old, lieutenants at the time. I had to use a transformation jutsu to make myself look young. We were sent to gather information on enemy territory, nothing too hard, but we had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. We were young and very stupid, well, he was anyway. I told him that we should take our platoons, but he refused, saying that we could handle this on our own and no one else would have to get hurt. I should have argued harder with him because... that was the last mission we ever had together.

At the time, he already knew about my training as a shinobi, and we put that into good use. I taught him how to use his chakra, to perform jutsus, and some advanced taijutsu. I taught him for 4 years, but now I wish I taught him more. We were right there, right next to the enemy base. It was at night, where our stealth was at its strongest. There were hundreds of soldiers stationed there, but it shouldn't have mattered. We were to obtain a signed document of their plans, and get the hell out of there. It sounded easy, especially in the mission debriefing, but it wasn't.

I should have known better. The enemy had guns this time, firearms, not kunai or shuriken. In the shinobi era, it would be completely possible to run through hand seals while dodging enemy projectiles because you could actually see them coming. But this was different, this was the modern era where people used guns. We managed to sneak into the base, obtain the document, but that was it. On our way out, I accidentally triggered an alarm, which alerted the enemy. We stormed out of the place as fast as we could and fought off as many as possible, but we were just two soldiers against a small army.

There was a solid brick wall that could lead to our salvation. We didn't have the chakra to break through it witha jutsu, but we could jump it easily. But just as we were about to leap, I heard a gunshot from right behind us. Because of my heightened senses, I could actually see the bullet coming, but just barely. It traveling to him, so I pushed him out of the way. The bullet was a sniper bullet and went straight through my thigh. There was no way I could make it. I gave him the document, to go without me, but he refused to leave me behind. I could still remember it all that day, as it happened.

The soldiers were making their way to us, my leg was bleeding profusely, but was slowly healing. I knew that it wouldn't heal in time. I told him to get out of there, but he refused once more. It was then that he smiled at me and hugged me, telling me to take care of his girlfriend. He then gave me a golden ring, of what I had no idea for, until later. He shoved the document in my pocket and threw me over the brick wall. As I was tossed into the air like a rag doll, I saw him focusing what remained of his chakra, unlocking the eight celestial gates.

When I landed on the ground, I passed right out. When I woke up, my leg was healed, and several hours had passed. Some of my strength had recovered, so I jumped up the brick wall to find him, but I was too late. What I saw was like a bloody warzone. No one was alive, and there was blood everywhere. I searched the place for my friend, and spent hours in there, until I finally found him. I cried so much that day, when I realized that he was dead. His body was on top of countless others. There was so much blood on his body that I could hardly recognize him. To save my life and his country, he destroyed the enemy base, at the cost of his own life.

I picked up his body and sprinted all the way back to our military base. When I arrived there, several medics rushed to me, taking him from my arms. They did what they could to save him, but I knew that it wasn't possible. He had been dead for a few days already. I still remember the fear-stricken look of his girlfriend's face. She saw him in my arms, dead. It was then that I realized what the golden ring was for. That was another day that I couldn't stop crying. He was planning on marrying her, when we returned. Sadly, I was the only one to return alive. I gave her the ring, and she hasn't spoken to me since.

As we were preparing for his funeral, one of his family lawyers found his will. When it was read to us, it stated his intentions of marrying his girlfriend, should he return from his mission alive. It also stated that if he were to die in that mission, he wanted his body to be buried in Japan. It must have been because I told him that that was my original birthplace, and that I want to die there some day. I guess he wanted to be buried at the same place as I was. There were other things about his possessions and the distribution, but I didn't care for that. However, there was one thing that was for me, from him. It was his badge as a Sergeant-Major. He wanted me to have it and keep it.

His funeral was about a week and a half later. His family, platoon, friends, and his girlfriend, as well as her family, were there. Her family treated him like their own son, and had already given him their blessings in marrying their daughter. When she learned the he was going to marry her, she wept hard. She wanted to marry him too. The funeral was a long one, but it all seemed to pass by me so quickly. I could only look at his cold, colorless face. I should have been the one in that coffin. When they lowered his body to the ground, I made a promise that day. I would not allow his country to fall.

The enemy attacked, about a month later. Thanks to the heroics of my friend, sacrificing his life so I could return the attack plans to our base, not only were we able to fend off the attack but we were able to drive them back and wipe them out. After receiving my payment for my services to them, I was promoted to general. I could have continued to serve them, but I found that I couldn't go on with it anymore. I wanted my friend to be there with me, but he was gone. So, I decided that I would disappear too. I stole my records, pictures, documents, information, everything that had to do about me, and burned it all. It was like I never existed.

I traveled the world again, after that, only returning there again, several years later. No one remembered my face, so I started a new life there. I thought I could stay, I thought I could live out the rest of my days there, but I couldn't. I still wasn't aging, so I knew I had to move out again, at some point. I later learned that his old girlfriend moved to Japan, continuing her medical education there. I also learned that she had cancer, but she never returned to America. She wanted to be buried in Japan, with her beloved. She died at her late 30s. She never had children, nor was she ever married.

Unfortunately, her body was never buried next to his, so that means I have to make an extra effort to go to her gravestone. It's not that far though, probably a few blocks from this place. Of course she wouldn't be buried next to him, as that spot was already filled before her death. I wonder if she's happy now, with him. They would have gotten married in heaven, and I would have missed it. I chuckled at that thought. He and I were best friends, and I wouldn't even be there for his wedding. What kind of best friend am I? I killed my first one and I couldn't even attend the wedding of my second one? I'm so lame.

As I walked to the gravestone of my friend's girlfriend, I started wondering what I would say to her. She and I never really talked that much, especially after her would be fiancee died. I kept my promise to my friend though, I did take care of her. I used my transformation jutsu to appear as one of her relatives, coming to visit for a while. I took care of her during the most difficult times of her cancer. I was even there as her life force slowly faded from existence. She died in my arms. I sighed to myself. There's so many damn memories, but I can't seem to let go of them. As I neared her gravestone, there were many cars passing through the streets.

"Why are there so many? Especially at this hour?" I asked myself, glancing at my watch. It was passed midnight, an still, there were so many vehicles. I shrugged my shoulders as the street light turned green, giving the walking symbol. When I got to the other side, I saw that the light was about to turn yellow. I then heard something behind me. Crying? I turned around, my eyes widening. There was a little boy there, on the street, crying as he walked to pick up a toy. I never saw that kid there, nor did I see a toy. When did that... suddenly, I saw red car, speeding and honking. Its breaks were probably busted but that means...

"Kid, get out of the way!" I shouted at the boy, but he didn't seem to hear me because of the constant honking.

The red car was definitely disfunctional, its wheels weren't even revolving. Sparks were being made from the rim of the tire-less wheels, and my theory was proven correctly when the driver jumped out of the vehicle. As if things couldn't get any worse, it was heading right for the kid. No... that kid... he's too young to... that was when I felt my legs moving. I found that I was running to that child. I want to save him, the way my friend saved me. It's too late to turn back now, I'm already close to him. I pushed him out of the way. For a second there, I looked into his face. A young boy like him will one day lead the future. He's definitely worth dying for. I smiled for a second, then felt something solid hit my body at a dangerous speed.

I was hit by the red vehicle, but instead of rolling to the roof of the car, spinning like a wheel, my body was slammed to another vehicle behind me. It hurts so much, but through it all, I was looking into the eyes of the child that I saved. He reached his hand out for me. I did the same, well, tried to, but my strength was fading from me. My body rolled atop the roof of the second car, smashing the windows and denting the metal vehicle, before falling on the ground. I can't move, everything hurts. Crowds of people surrounded me. It was then that I saw someone standing over me, wearing a white coat and a white hood. It extended an arm down to me.

"Hey, you ready to go?" it asked. According to the sound of the voice, this person is definitely a male. What I found the weirdest was the fact that no one else seemed notice this man's presence. I tried to take his hand, but I found that I couldn't. I had no energy left in my body. Everything was drained when I collided with that car. The figure above laughed a little.

"Oh, that's right. Of course you can't move. Silly me," he said as he bent down and picked up my hand. He pulled me up and lifted me. I stood up to my feet but noticed one other thing. I feel lighter, like all the weight was removed from my... body... My eyes widened. I wasn't looking at it yet, but I have a feeling that I know what I will be looking at. I tilted my head down slowly, seeing exactly what I feared. Right there, was my body, surrounded by people. I looked at my hands, they're see through? I glanced up to the man who lifted me up.

"Am I... dead?" I asked him. He nodded at me.

"Yeah. Your body is down there, which means... yeah, you're dead," he said to me. I looked down at my body again. Paramedics arrived and picked it up, placing it in their medical vehicle, and driving away. The crowds of people slowly dispersed, leaving me and this mysterious person behind.

"So what happens now? Are you like, the angel of death or something?" I asked, not looking to him.

"Pretty much."

"Alright, take me to hell already. I know that I've done a lot of wrong in my life. It may not look like it, but I'm a trained killer. I've killed people, and I suppose that makes me eligible for a one way ticket to hell, doesn't it?" I asked, still looking away.

"Normally, yeah, but I saw what you did here. No matter how many wrongs you committed in your life, your selfless act today clears up all of that. Besides, I've searched your soul when I grabbed your hand to pull you out of your body. You have a good heart, and a pure soul. I couldn't send you to hell even if I wanted to. No, Uzumaki Naruto, I'm not here to take you to hell," he said. I looked to him, surprised.

"How do you--"

"I'm an angel, I know these things. Anyway, I'm here to take you to heaven," he said as he took my hand again. Before I knew it, he and I ascended into the skies. Slowly, I noticed that my spirit was disappearing. I guess this is the end for me after all. I didn't want it to end this way, but at least it's finally over. I looked to the direction of Ino's house and smiled.

"I'm sorry, Ino-chan. Good bye... I love you," I said as my spirit completely vanished.

__________________________________________________

**End of Naruto's POV**

**Ino's POV (Two days later)**

__________________________________________________

"Ino, honey, what are you doing still up?" asked my father. "There was no school yesterday, due to a holiday, but you do have school tomorrow, right?"

I nodded at that. I was sitting in front of my television, after doing my homework. It's already passed midnight and here I am. I suppose he has every right to ask me that question, especially since tonight is a school night I looked to him, who was wearing his night robe.

"Sorry, daddy, but I really can't get any sleep yet. Don't worry though, I won't be late for school tomorrow," I said to him. He sighed and nodded, retreating to his room. I looked at the gallon of ice cream on my arms. I don't know why I can't sleep right now. I have some tests tomorrow, for classes that I didn't even study for. And Naruto-kun... that's another thing. He said that he had something to take care of, and that he wouldn't be at school for the next day, but that was a couple of days ago. I tried calling him, texting him, but nothing. I'm nervous, I hope he's okay.

I flipped through the channels, wondering if there's something good to watch on television, maybe something that will help me to fall asleep. I don't want anything scary, as I doubt that would help my situation. Maybe something humorous or romantic? I could try that, but there's nothing on. I let out a sigh, just like my father did, and looked at myself. I'm already wearing my pajamas. I find this odd though. Normally, when I wear my pajamas, I would immediately start falling asleep. But it's been a few hours since I wore this thing and still, I don't feel any form of tiredness.

I pressed the mute button on my remote control and placed the ice cream back in the freezer. When I finished with that, I saw the homecoming dance ticket that Naruto-kun gave to me. I can't believe that I had to be the one to ask him to that dance. What happened to the whole tradition of boys asking girls to these things? I smiled at the ticket. I don't mind. Well, at first I did, but now, I don't care anymore. As long as I'm going with Naruto-kun, I'm alright with it. I placed my hand on my chest, tracing my fingers on the necklace that he gave me.

It was returned to me by Tayuya, about two days ago, when Naruto-kun said that he would be absent from school. The others got their stuff back too, which meant that our whole deal with Sasuke had ended. I thought he would be mad, but he wasn't so. I was even surprised to see him smiling. I was about to ask him why, as he never really smiled genuinely like that before, but he beat me to it. He told me that he finally found a worthy opponent in the school to challenge in that odd game that he plays. What was it called, duel monsters? I smiled at that thought, at least he can stop brooding all the time.

I returned to the living room, releasing my television from its muted state. I was about to press the off button, so I could give it another shot at going to sleep, when something caught my eye. It was a program that was aired about three days ago, one of my favorite shows, and it was recorded on TvO. I figured, why the heck not, right? It's only about half an hour long, excluding commercials. After that, I would just go to sleep. I laughed throughout the show, this was exactly what I needed. When the commercials came in, I use the fast-forward feature to skip them, but once again, something in the commercials caught my eye. I resumed it to normal pace. I raised an eyebrow, a breaking news?

"We're sorry for interrupting your program, ladies and gentlemen," said one of the news tellers. Why does this seem to catch my interest all of a sudden? "An accident has taken place at the cross streets of 3rd and 5th street. According to eye witness, a young man was seen pushing away a small child from getting run over by a red vehicle. There were hundreds of thousands of yen in property damage, but no one else was injured. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for the young man."

I rolled my eyes.

"People should really be more careful these days..." I said to myself. I was about to turn it off, but the news teller continued speaking. I suppose I should at least let him finish.

"There are currently no records on this young man, but he was reported to have blond spiky hair and blue eyes," he said. My eyes widened. I felt my heart jumping out of my rib cage and up to my throat. Blond spiky hair... blue eyes... it can't be. I turned back to the television, to see what was going on. There was a picture of the young man on screen. I dropped the remote control on the ground, tears welling up from my eyes.

"N-Naruto-kun?"

"Authorities state that the young man was brought into the emergency room. He doesn't appear to have any relatives, according to his information. Sadly, an information sheet was handed into us, just an hour ago. The young man didn't make it," he said. I felt my heart shatter right there. He's... gone? I fell to my knees as tears began flowing out of my eyes. I heard footsteps coming down from the stairs, my father's footsteps.

"Ino, why is the television so loud? Shouldn't you be asleep? And why is... oh no..." he said, probably seeing what was on the television. I felt arms go around me, just like you always would do, but even though these are the arms of my father, I don't feel so safe or secured. "Ino... I'm so sorry."

"Dad... he's..." I stopped myself there, continuing to weep. My father carried me to bed and tucked me in. He turned the lights off and left me alone in my room. I can't stop crying.

"Naruto-kun... what the hell!?" I shouted to myself. "You were supposed to take me to that dance. You weren't supposed to get yourself killed! You weren't supposed to... leave me alone..."

I grabbed my pillow, releasing all of my tears on it.

__________________________________________________

Well, that's it for that. What do you know, he's finally dead after so long. I guess this is the part where I finish this story and make a sequel. Okay, I know that this isn't a story book ending at all, but hey, I'm not like other authors, I'm worse than them, lol. I hope you all enjoyed this story and maybe I'll write a sequel some day. Ten chapters isn't too bad, even though it probably doesn't explain everything that's happened. I know that I did promise more chapters but, things happen, things change. I guess it all ends here. Well, I'll see you all in the sequel, if I do decide to make one.

Ja ne!

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

Just kidding, April fools everyone! Of course this story isn't over yet, who do you think I am? XD Hahahaha. Oh and, I know I've only released 10 chapters so far, but I can honestly say that I'm writing this chapter on the day of April 1 2009, so it can count as an April fools joke, even though I'll probably post this chapter at a later date. Anyway, this story isn't over yet, but I bet you guys already knew that. Remember, this story is focused on Naruto, so don't count him out just yet.

However, don't expect him to return as a super-duper strong angel or something like that. As far as I know, there won't be any of that in this story. I did say I'm trying to make this as realistic as possible, right? Well, I'm going to overstep that rule with some boundaries, just once. I... can... right? But seriously, there won't be too much supernatural stuff going on. No angel wings, no halos, no holy powers, no flying, nothing of that sort, save the whole shinobi thing that Naruto has going on

Anyway, stay tuned for chapter 11!

Ja ne!


	11. Chapter 11

**Voice of the Wanderer**

**Naruto Fanfiction**

**Disclaimer: I don't own a single shred of Naruto.**

**Chapter 11: My Reason to Stay is...**

**Thanks for the reviews from the previous chapter, everyone. I feel a bit harsh saying this, but it really was my intention to make you guys cry. Sorry! XD, but I wanted a shot at another piece of drama and I'm glad I got the results I wanted. Unfortunately, Naruto and Ino are no where near out of the woods yet, but... I'll be nice, this time around. I really enjoyed writing this chapter and I hope you guys enjoy reading it.**

**Oh and, the first half of it has something to do with the previous chapter's wall of text. I hope you read it or you may not understand the first half of this chapter.**

**Anyway, onwards!**

* * *

**Naruto's POV**

* * *

*Inhale*

*Exhale*

I'm... breathing? Am I alive? Ugh... my head. I opened my eyes slowly, very slowly, then closed them again. Why is this room so bright? Everything is so... white. I remember dying, maybe that was a dream and I'm really alive and in a hospital room. Well, I'll have to make sure. I opened my eyes again, very slowly, but didn't see any machines near me, nor a bed that I should be laying down on. Instead of laying down, I'm sitting down. On what? Oh.. a chair.. wait, what? When my vision started becoming clear, I noticed that I was in no hospital room. And the room wasn't so bright either. Maybe it was the effects getting hit by that red vehicle. Perhaps I hit my head or something. I looked around me.. this place looks like a church.

I've been to several of these, while I was traveling the world. The people who come here are very religious and believe in some dude named God. Their religion is supposedly called Catholicism... or was it Christianity? I can't remember. My head hurts way too much. I stood up slowly, knowing that my legs may be a bit wobbly. I looked around me, is this what heaven is supposed to look like? Or maybe that angel had second thoughts and returned me to earth instead. I don't know, nor do I really care right now. I just wish this headache would go away! I didn't know I'd feel pain while I'm dead... or am I alive?

"I wish I knew..." I said to myself.

"Wish you knew what?" asked someone beside me. I looked to my left and saw a very, incredibly familiar looking man. His hair was very similar to that of Shikamaru from both eras of time, except for one vague difference. There was a scar that crossed the bridge of his nose, from his right cheek to his left. He was also dressed in a black tuxedo, but that doesn't matter. I know who this guy is, but why is he here?

"Ah, Umino-sensei, you go to church too?" I asked him, sitting down on my chair once more.

"I didn't before, I mean I wasn't a catholic before, you know. It's nice that you could come though, Naruto-kun," he told me. My eyes twitched at that. I thought he would call me by my last name, teacher and student respect and all. I was about to speak, but he continued. "It's beautiful isn't it, this church?"

"Uh.. yeah. It is. I wasn't much of a religious person, you know, so I don't know too much about these places. By the way, what are you doing here? Don't you have test papers to grade?" I asked. "And sorry about talking back to you, a couple of weeks ago, asking for a longer detention state. I wasn't really feeling at my best at the time."

"Um.. what in the world are you talking about?" he asked quizzically. He raised an eyebrow to speak, but silenced himself, giving me a knowing look. "Oh... oh! You don't know yet, do you? This isn't the realm of the living, Naruto-kun. You're dead, we're in heaven."

"... what...?"

"I've been watching you, you know. You were like a little brother to me, back in our shinobi days, but those days are long over. Although, I've never stopped seeing you as my family. I watched how you saved that little boy from getting run over by that speeding vehicle... a car... or whatever it is modern people call it these days. That was a very valiant choice on your part and I'm proud of you," he said. I looked away from him for a moment. So I really am dead. Oh well, it's not like I thought I was alive... oh wait, I did think such a thing. Maybe I was just hoping to be alive, to see Ino-chan again... I looked to the man once more.

"Umino... um... Iruka-sensei, what are we doing here?" I asked him. I also noticed something that I should have noticed before. I'm not wearing the clothes that I had when I died. Instead, I was also wearing a black tuxedo like he was. "And why am I wearing this?"

"Well, since the ceremony isn't starting yet, I suppose I can tell you. You were invited by two very special people to attend a wedding," he said, smiling at me. I looked around again. Now that I know what I'm looking for, I actually see it. There are people all around us, but not that many. The church isn't a big cathedral either, just a regular sized church. Suddenly, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to see two of the people who I didn't think I'd ever see again.

"Ero-sennin, Kakashi-sensei?" I asked. Both silver-haired men nodded.

"It's been a while, Naruto," said Kakashi. Tears welled up in my eyes. These aren't the people from the modern era, but the ones from the shinobi times. Iruka-sensei said I'm dead, so that proves everything, all of my speculations. I reached out to touch him in the forehead, I just need to know that I'm not hallucinating or dreaming. I need to be able to tell myself that this is all real. Kakashi-sensei looked strangely at me, as I retracted my finger after touching him.

"Are you alright...?" he asked. I nodded, wiping my tears.

"Yeah. It's just that, I haven't seen you, either of you, in a really long time. Now I can finally join you guys like the old days," I said happily. Both perverts looked to each other, and then back at me. What are they up to? I wish I knew what they were thinking.

"Sure. We can talk about this later, Naruto, but why don't you go talk to the others first? They know you're here but an angel brought you here, while you were knocked out. The girls are down the hall to the left," said Jiraya, pointing behind him. "And the guys are to the right."

"Alright, I'll be right back," I said to him. I got up from my seat and went to visit the guys first. When I turned to the right, after reaching the end of the hall, I saw door. When I opened it, I saw the others, dressed up in black tuxedos as well, and were also dressing up a very familiar looking individual. For some reason, he reminds me of someone, but I can't say for sure. I closed the door with a bit of force, wordlessly telling them all of my presence. Kiba was the first to glance at me.

"Hey, glad to see you're awake. Can you help me with doing his tie? I have idea how to do this," he said. I nodded and walked up to him. As I fiddled with the tie, I looked to the person who I assumed to be the groom. He looks really familiar, but I can't place my finger on it.

"Do I know you?" I asked. He turned to me with a smile. That smile.. that black hair with blond highlights.. wait a second. "You... you can't possibly be..."

A/N: If you don't understand this part then I have only one thing to say to you... actually two things. HAH HAH! I know some of you didn't read that wall of text from the previous chapter, so here's your punishment ;P

"That's right, Naruto. It's me, Richard," he said. Of course! No wonder he looked so familiar. Richard Klyde, my first American friend. I noticed that my fingers weren't even fixing his tie anymore. But if he's here.. then that must mean..

"Richard.. your fiancee.. could it be-" he nodded happily.

"Yeah. It's Amber," he said, cutting into my sentence. I can't believe it! Those two are actually getting married. Well, it makes perfect sense, anyway. They were both in love when we were still alive and it's understandable that they would marry here, as they couldn't do it on earth. Just then, something clicked in my mind. It was what Iruka-sensei said earlier. He said that two very special people invited me to this wedding. Could it be that those two were the ones responsible for it? I didn't bother to ask Richard as I finished with his tie. When he was all finished and dressed properly, he pulled a black box from his pocket and handed it to me.

"You know what this is for, Naruto," he said, smiling at me. I took the box in my hands and opened it slightly, then closed it back quickly. A ring? Hold on...

"You want me to be your best man?" I asked in disbelief. He nodded.

"Yeah. I'm sure you know by now that Amber and I were the ones who invited you here. You see, after your ascension to this place, your spirit slipped into unconsciousness because it was still getting used to the heavenly atmosphere. It happens to everyone, so don't sweat it. I personally asked the angel who retrieved you, to carry you here and slip you into some proper clothes. He sat you down somewhere and left," said Richard. I nodded through it all. "Anyway, now that I'm done here, why don't you see Amber and your other friends? It's bad luck for the groom to see the bride at this time, but you're neither of those. I'm sure Amber would love to see you again."

"Wait, she doesn't know I'm here?"

"Well, she knows I invited you here, but yes, she doesn't know you're here," he replied. I nodded and looked to the others, who were smiling at me as well. Even Gaara and Sasuke were, which were rare actions that anyone could ever see from them. I turned around and headed for the girls' door. When I arrived to it, I was about to open it, but remembered that I'm entering a girls' room, meaning that something might be inappropriately going on in there that a guy shouldn't see. I nodded to myself and knocked on the door.

"Come in!" said a feminine voice. When I opened the door, I saw the girls inside. They were dressed in white dresses, just as formal as the guys were. The first person I saw was Ino, mainly because she's really the one I miss right now. Well, not this Ino, but the one in the living world. Nevertheless, she smiled at me and approached me. I guess I can't say it's weird that both Ino's look so much alike, yet I feel the same way around this Ino than the one down at earth. Is it because they shared the same body for 17 years until this Ino was released and ascended to heaven? Yeah, that sounds about right.

"Naruto, you're finally awake, aren't you?" she asked me. I nodded at that. "So, are you taking care of my reincarnation? I hope you're keeping her happy."

"I... yeah..." I paused. With my death, I wonder how Ino-chan is reacting now. I can imagine her very angry with me, but what can I do? I had to save that kid. I find it quite unfair though. She and I finally got back together and boom! I'm here, dead, and she's still there, alive. I noticed Sakura placing a hand on the blond's shoulder. She shook her head slightly at her. Ino nodded and stepped back. At that moment, Richard's bride walked to me, embracing me.

"Naruto, I've missed you," said the long-haired brunette. She looks really beautiful with this wedding gown of hers. It's kinda funny that she looks exactly the same age as she was when she died. Richard does too. Come to think of it, all of my deceased friends do, except me. I still look 17 years old. I wonder why that's so...?

"I've missed you too, Amber," I said, pulling away from the hug.

"So, how do I look?" she asked, smiling at me. I returned the smile at her.

"Like you're ready to pop mini Richards out of you," I replied with a chuckle. Amber blushed and slapped me on the shoulder, but smiled as well. Temari looked at her watch.

"Hey, it's almost time to go," she said. Amber nodded. Ino, Sakura, Temari, Hinata, and Tenten, walked out of the room, pulling me away as well. We met up with the guys, who were filed in a straight line. Kiba tugged at my shoulder, motioning for me to go in front of the males line. Oh right, I'm the best man, it makes perfect sense that I'm in front. I found it an odd coincidence that Ino was first in line too. Actually, now that I'm focusing on it, each pair of couples were parallel from each other. Ino was first in line for the girls, Sakura right behind, then Temari, Hinata, and Tenten. I'm first in line for the guys, Lee right behind, then Shikamaru, Kiba, and Neji. I wonder if these guys are dating too..

When the music started, we began walking up the isle. My jaw dropped when I saw the priest who was doing this whole marriage thing. The third Hokage? What the fudge? As I made my way to the isle, I noticed every single familiar face from Konoha, but not only that. I also saw Richard's platoon, as well as mine. I guess they know my secret too, with the way they're looking at me with those smiles of approval. It's too bad that I won't be going through this experience with the only girl I've ever truly loved. But.. maybe that may not be the case. When she dies and comes to heaven, maybe we can get a marriage like this too.

As the music continued, Richard walked down the isle with his mother next to him. I never really got to know the woman very well, but I saw her a couple of times, as well as the rest of Richard's family. The groom stepped up and stood next to me. His mother walked back to the rest of his family with a smile. I looked to Richard, noticing a slightly vivid glow resonating from his entire body. Come to think of it, I think Amber had the same glow. Well, I suppose they're the star couple of this show. Of course they would get a neat glow like that. I wonder if I'll ever feel this way.

A few minutes after Richard arrived, Amber was seen walking down the isle with her father. She really looks beautiful in that dress. Richard is one lucky guy to be marrying someone like her. She's not only gorgeous but a very kind individual. She specially took care of both of us whenever we would come back injured from a mission. Although, I noticed she took care of Richard more, which I don't really find surprising. At the time, I still had the Kyuubi's essence inside me, allowing me to heal rapidly. Oh that's right, the Kyuubi isn't here.. I wonder what happened to him? Could he have gone to hell? That's very likely, but I wish he was here too. Amber stepped up beside Richard.

"You two look quite lovely," said Sarutobi.

"Thank you. You don't look too bad yourself, considering your age," said Amber.

"Hey, I may be an old man, but I can still whip you both," he replied. The couple chuckled, just as everyone else. The third Hokage opened a book. "Alright then, let's get this marriage on the road, shall we?"

The couple nodded. Sarutobi raised his hands in the air, chanting an odd piece of literature. I couldn't even understand the language, but only bits and pieces of the words. This part is going to take a while, I've read a couple of books on marriages. The priest is supposed to do this kind of thing, then ask the congregation for their permission for the couple's marriage. Then he would ask the couple, starting with the groom first, and then the bride. After which, the couple would recite some kind of wedding vow that they have supposedly ready for this occasion. Why can't they just make this simpler and have the priest marry the couple immediately? This is so time consuming. But what the heck, we have nothing but time now.

"If the congregation would like to speak against this beloved couple's marriage, now is the time. Speak now, or forever wish you did," he said. Everyone was silent. Sarutobi looked to Richard. "Do you, Richard, take Amber to be your lawfully wedded wife? To love her, to hold her, in sickness and in health, and vow to never leave her side until death- never mind that part, you two are already dead!"

The congregation chuckled at that. Even I laughed a bit. Richard smiled, looking to Amber.

"I do," he said. I guess this is my cue. I stepped forward and opened the box in front of my friend. He took the small ring from inside it and slipped it into her finger. I walked back to my position and placed the box inside my pocket. Sarutobi then looked to the bride.

"Do you, Amber, take Richard to be your lawfully wedded husband? To love him, to hold him, in sickness and in health, and vow to never leave his side until... oh whatever, let's just skip that last part," he said. Amber looked to Richard, smiling at him.

"I do," she said. Now it's Ino's turn. Mirroring what I did, she walked up to Amber and opened a white box in front of her. Amber took the small, golden ring, from the box and slipped it into Richard's finger. Ino walked back to her former position.

"Hmm.. what goes after this part.. oh yes, the wedding vows," said Sarutobi, looking to Richard. "You may begin."

Richard took both of Amber's hands into his.

"Before I met you, I've lived my life in such a carefree manner. I never cared for anything else in the world. When my best friend came into my life, it was through him, that I met you. I cherished you both in ways that I never knew I was capable of. But most of all, I was and still am, madly in love with you. On the day of my funeral, I watched how you wept in sorrow, and vowed to one day be with you again. I suppose I have Naruto to thank for that. I asked him, before I threw him over that huge wall, to take care of you and so he did. I watched him too, as he did that, and I could never have asked for a better friend. But he can get his own, you're mine now, and I'll never let you go."

"I, Richard Klyde, swear at the graves of my ancestors, will love you, care for you, in happiness and sorrow, until the end of time," he said. I must admit, I started getting a little teary eyed from that little speech. Sarutobi then glanced to Amber.

"Go ahead, young lady," he said. Amber intwined her fingers with his, holding them tightly.

"When I came into this world, all I ever wanted to do was change it. I've always considered myself a bit of a book worm, always studying really hard so I can make a difference in the planet we once lived in. But when I met you and Naruto, my life changed. You both took me to places, to wonders that I've never even dreamed of imagining. It was then that our friendship bonded. I admit that I fell for that blond first, but it was you who eventually caught my eye in the end. On the day of your funeral, I thought I would never see you again, but how wrong I was, as I stand before you here today. You are all that I can ever ask for in a boyfriend, a fiancee, and a husband."

"I, Amber Sheen, promise in the name of my family, will love you, care for you, in happiness and sorrow, until the end of time," she said. Okay, these two really have to stop talking about me like this. Shikamaru tapped my shoulder, trying to ease the crying that I've been doing, and handed me a hankerchef.

"Then, with the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride," he recited. Richard smiled softly and placed a hand on her cheek, placing his lips softly onto hers. Amber pushed a bit deeper into the kiss, I bet this is the happiest moment of her life. Upon the touch of their lips, the congregation stood up and clapped their hands. I started clapping as well, happy for both of my friends. I looked to them both, smiling at each other. The light that resonated from within them was growing brighter and brighter, like never before. They really do look great together. Just then, Richard looked to me and left Amber's side for a moment.

"Naruto, I'm so glad you could come to my wedding," he said, hugging me too.

"Not a problem. If we were still alive, I'd drop everything just to come here," I said to him.

"Well Naruto, again, I thank you for coming, but unfortunately... you have to get going now," he said. I blinked twice at that.

"What do you mean?"

"Remember your accident? That whole thing was staged by the angels of heaven. I asked them a favor, to borrow your soul for a moment. because I wanted you to come to my wedding but you were still among the living. In a sense, I had to kill you, so you could come here. But now that the wedding is over, you have to return home," he said.

"But.. how? I'm dead.." I said sadly.

"No, Naruto," said Ino, walking up to me. "Because the whole thing was staged by angels, it doesn't count as you actually dying. Your body is still alive, just in a coma. Once your soul returns, you'll be alive again, and free to resume your life the way it once was."

"But I don't want to go back. This is my place now, with all of you," I pleaded, looking at them all.

"Hey, you still have to take care of my reincarnation, remember? She's weeping her heart out, down there, hoping you would wake up. When she found out that you weren't dead and was only in a coma, she rushed to the hospital every day, just to see you. She wants to be with you again, and the rest of us does as well. Your home is over there now, I don't want you to join us here until you've actually died on natural causes. I want you to live the rest of your life in happiness, it's all I could ever ask, Naruto," she said.

I was silenced at that. But this is the one thing that I've been wanting for over 500 years, to be with my friends again. I don't belong in the modern era, but here with them. I've been alive for way too long and I need a break. 500 years is way too long of a life for a mere mortal to have, myself included. Now that I'm with them, how can I separate myself from them? I don't want to and-

"Ino-chan..." my lips uttered out.

Where the heck did that come from? Wait... I know where that came from. My heart yearns for the one I love. She's standing right in front of me but... no, this is different, she is different. Maybe... maybe I really do have a reason to return. I want to be with her again, to love her, to hold her, and to tell her how sorry I am for leaving her so suddenly. I sighed and looked to my friends.

"I'm sorry, I guess now that I'm actually here with you guys, it's been a bit hard to part ways again," I said. Ero-sennin walked up to me and placed a hand on my head.

"Don't worry about it, kid, you'll see us again. Just be good down there, alright?" he asked. I nodded at that request.

"You know, I'm still a bit surprised that you're here, Ero-sennin. You peep at women all the time and the angels allowed you in heaven? What were they thinking?" I asked. Jiraya rolled his eyes, stepping back a bit. Suddenly, a circle of light wrapped around me. Slowly but surely, I was getting sucked into the ground. I looked at them all, not wanting to be away from them, but I know that this is the way it has to be. I looked to Richard.

"Take care of Amber, alright? When I come back and I hear you're giving her a headache, I'll beat the crap out of you, you hear me?" I called to him. I think of Amber as a very close sister and of course, I would feel protective of her. Richard smiled and nodded, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist.

"Good luck down there, Naruto. We'll be watching you," said Kiba.

"Do your best with Ino-chan's reincarnation," said Hinata.

"If you knock her out and have your way with her, you might as well not come back here or I'll beat you up!" said Sakura. I sort of flinched at that, but nothing else.

"Let your flames of youth burn as bright as the sun, Naruto-kun!" said Lee.

"Take it easy and don't overwork yourself. Try staring at some clouds once in a while," said Shikamaru. I nodded at that. I got several other good byes from everyone else, each one varying, depending on who said it. After everyone said their good byes, my head was the only thing remaining that everyone could see, the rest had been sucked down into the ground. I looked to the last male person who hasn't said anything yet.

"Oy, Naruto," Sasuke called out. I glanced to the raven-haired boy, who had his hands tucked inside his pockets.

"You better train hard because when you get back here, we'll have an eternity to spar all we want. I'll be training too and I want you to be at your best when I beat you down," he said triumphantly. I smiled at that. Sasuke will be Sasuke and will never change. I merely nodded at him as I looked to Ino, the last female person who has yet to say anything. No words were exchanged between us, but our silence to each other was more than enough. It's strange that I feel the same way for her, that I do for her reincarnation. I wonder.. what's going to happen when Ino-chan and I die and go to heaven? There can't be two of Ino so... how will that work? Come to think of it, there will be two of everyone. I shrugged my shoulders.

"I'll see you around, Naruto," she said finally.

I nodded and waved good bye to her as the light swallowed me up. I found myself falling from heaven, face first. My soul fell from the sky, falling lower and lower, faster and faster. Just as I figured, I started slowing down when I hit the ground. I descended down to a building that looked like a hospital. I guess this is where my body is. My soul went through the roofs, walls, and doors, until I was standing right next to my body. I looked to the machine that was keeping my body alive, noting that it was still beeping. I sighed and entered my body. The moment I entered, my eyes opened, readjusting to the earthly presence around me. I guess being a soul for a few hours feels really different as compared to being actually...

"Alive..."

I nodded once more and pulled the little tubes off of my body that was probably keeping me alive. Oh great... I'm probably going to have to owe this hospital a lot of money, aren't I? Oh well, since when was money an issue for me ever since this era started? I stood up, stretching a bit. The room I'm in seems pretty dark, then again, the outside was pretty dark too, as I fell. Hold on a second, Ino said that her reincarnation came to visit me every day, when she learned that I was in a coma. Every day? How many days has it been? It can't have been any longer than a few hours, as I was only in heaven for nothing more than that amount of time. I have to get out of here. I crossed my fingers together, forming a hand seal.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu," I whispered to myself, forming a carbon replica of myself.

"Alright, you sign us out while I go back home and try to figure out what in the world is going on around here. Get my clothes, my belongings and all that, and return home with it. Just poof yourself out when you finish with that," I said. The clone nodded and walked out of the room. Okay.. not the way I was thinking he would do it, but he'll take care of it nonetheless. I formed another hand seal.

"Hiraishin no Jutsu," I whispered once more as I was teleported to my home, next to the three-pronged kunai that I placed here. The room is dark I can smell some dust. So, I guess it really has been a while since I came here.. physically anyway. I turned on the lights and ran up to my room, turning on my computer. When it was on, I checked the date, and gawked at what I saw.

"Two weeks later...? It's been that long!" I shouted to myself. But it doesn't make sense, I've only been dead for a few hours. How could two weeks have already passed? I also noticed that it was a Friday. Hmm... I feel like there's something I should be doing today but I can't seem to... no way!

"Shit, the homecoming dance! It's tonight!" I shouted again. I am so glad that I'm the only one living here or anyone else would think I'm a total weirdo. I ran to the shower and ripped the hospital clothing that was on me and turned the water on. My body probably smells pretty badly right now, not having taken a shower for two weeks. After being in there for a good half hour, I stormed out and opened my closet. I remembered that Ino-chan said to wear something formal. Let's see now... I wish I still had that tuxedo that I was wearing when I was in Richard and Amber's wedding. That would have been perfect. Oh well. I picked out something formal but not too formal and placed it on.

I glanced to my computer again, looking at the time. It's already 9:00 pm. Okay, dances aren't supposed to end until some time late at night and according to my computer, it isn't that late at night right now. After spending a good few minutes putting the clothes on, I looked at myself in a mirror, noting that I looked pretty good for someone who's been dead for two weeks. I wore formal black pants, a white under shirt, black dress shoes, and a silk, black long sleeve. I grabbed a jacket, just in case and turned my computer off. When it was finally off, I rushed to my motorcycle and brought it to life. I road out of my house after ward.

I didn't even have my helmet at the moment, but as of right now, I don't really care. I have to get to school as soon as possible. Then again, would Ino-chan really be there? I'm her date and there's a good chance that she won't be there, without me, right? I hope she's there. Even if I were permanently dead, I wouldn't want her to cease her happiness because of me. But that thought is null and void now. I'm alive and glad to be. I pressed on the pedal harder, causing my vehicle to roar a little louder into the night, its speed increasing. It's only 9:00 pm, why the heck am I rushing? Oh right, I want to see her. I just hope she's there.

When I arrived, I actually had a hard time finding a good place to chain my motorcycle. There were cars everywhere, for a couple of miles and people were still coming. I guess these dances are really popular around here. Luckily, I managed to find a decent area to secure my motorcycle. When that was done, I walked into the school. When I made it inside, a few people were out and about, doing their own things. I noticed a couple, sitting outside on the lunch tables, making out. Figures they wouldn't do it inside. Come to think of it, I don't hear much of anything inside. Shouldn't dances have really loud music? Upon entering the auditorium and handing my ticket to the usher, the flashing lights managed to make their way into my eyes. I had to close them so I wouldn't go blind.

There were so many people here, dancing, shouting, eating, and over all enjoying their night. Everyone wore formal clothing, the guys were wearing something similar to mine, but they all had their differences in color and a certain style. I walked deeper into the auditorium. Other than the flashing lights, the room was quite dark. There were a couple of dim lights above, but that was about it. It's really hard to tell who's who around here. I wonder what the student council was thinking. This seems more like an underground club than a high school dance. There are some adult chaperones around, so I guess they don't mind at all.

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, I think we've been keeping you waiting long enough, so here they are!" said a voice from the stage. I looked up, seeing smoke appear into the stage. Everyone cheered and shouted, while I'm here, wondering what in the world is going on. When the smoke eventually cleared, I looked up to see very familiar people. It was Shikamaru on a guitar, Kiba on drums, Tenten on another guitar, Sakura on a keyboard, and Ino behind a microphone stand.

"Hey everyone, sorry about the long wait but here we are," she said to the crowd. I didn't know they'd be playing for this dance. Oh right, I've been dead for two weeks. Of course I wouldn't know any of this. "This is a song that is dedicated to someone very close to me."

The song started a bit soft, with guitar strumming and drum tapping. I found it quite amazing to see that Shikamaru and Tenten were playing their guitar parts at perfect unison. That is probably hard, or perhaps impossible. Tenten and Kiba were quite good with the guitar as well, but I noticed Tenten was playing bass, just a mere observation. As they continued to play for a few seconds, I heard Ino's voice.

_Is this a dream?_

_If it is,_

_Please don't wake me from this high._

_I've become comfortably numb,_

_Until you opened up my eyes,_

_To what it's like, when everything's right.._

_I can't believe.._

I narrowed my eyes at the song. I know this one. This is You Found Me by an American singer named Kelly Clarkson. This is one of Ino-chan's favorite songs and even has it on her cell phone's ring tone. I wonder who she's dedicating it to... oh wait... could it be me? I instantly looked at the ground. I know this song inside and out, having listened to it so many times in my free time when I wasn't with her. If this is dedicated to me then...

_You found me, when no one else was lookin'_

_How did you know just where I would be?_

_Yeah, you broke through all of my confusion,_

_The ups and the downs and you still didn't leave._

_I guess that you saw what nobody could see,_

_You found me..._

_You found me..._

I closed my eyes, not feeling the strength to stand anymore. Was that really how we started? The way she describes this song makes me think I'm such an idol to her. I don't think I'm like that at all. People look to me for guidance and strength in the shinobi era, mostly because I was the pillar of everyone's strength. But perhaps, maybe, just maybe, I really am that kind of person. I looked to Ino again, she looked at the ground as well. Is she trying to avoid everyone's gazes? Or maybe... she's just trying to avoid my gaze. I doubt she even knows I'm here, but she's right. The ups and the downs and I still didn't leave. I refuse to and I will never.

_So, here we are,_

_That's pretty far._

_When you think of where we've been._

_No going back, I'm fading out,_

_All that has faded me within._

_You're by my side,_

_Now everything's fine,_

_I can't believe..._

I chuckled at the song and how much it makes sense for the two of us. Here we are, that's pretty far, considering what we've been through. We should be over each other by now, but our love is stronger than anything else I've ever felt before. She's right, there's no going back for us now. This is the path we've chosen by choosing to be together. I left you before, Ino, but here I am now. I'm by your side, everything's right. I can't believe it either. I've been dead, happy. You were alive, sad. But it's different now, I'm here to stay, I'm here to make you happy.

_You found me,_

_When no one else was lookin'_

_How did you know just where I would be?_

_Yeah, you broke through all of my confusion._

_The ups and the downs and you still didn't leave._

_I guess that you saw what no body could see,_

_You found me..._

_You found me..._

I nodded my head as she said those words. Just then, I felt something from within me. I came back here to be with her again, but I also came here to tell her the truth. I've been lying to her for so long and it's time I've made amends. And I can start by being with her tonight. I have to make my presence known, but how. Just then, something clicked in my mind. As if my legs had a life of their own, I made my way through the crowd and climbed up the stage. I heard several gasps from the audience, but I didn't care at the moment. Sakura, Shikamaru, Hinata, and Tenten, looked to me with widened eyes, but continued playing. Tears fell from Ino's eyes. I'm sorry for making you cry. I took the microphone to continue the song.

_And I was hiding,_

_Til you came along,_

_And showed me where I belong._

I smiled at her, walking closer to her. She still looked like she couldn't speak, but I guess that's what happens to a girl when she sees her boyfriend back from the grave, right? Well, not technically from the grave, but I was out cold for a while, right? So it counts just the same. She knows how the rest of this song goes, as do I. She placed her hand around mine, taking control of the microphone as well. She cupped my cheek with her other hand. Yes Ino-chan, I'm real, and I'm here now. She looked at me with uncertainty, just as I would expect her to. This next part is her part, after which is both of ours.

_You found me when no one else was lookin'_

_How did you know just where I would be?_

_How did you know?_

_How did you know?_

_..._

_I nodded to her as we both took in a deep breath._

_..._

_You found me,_

_When no one else was lookin'_

_How did you know just where I would be?_

_Yeah, you broke through all of my confusion._

_The ups and the downs and you still didn't leave._

_I guess that you saw what no body could see,_

_You found me..._

Now I completely understand why I wasn't allowed to join the others in heaven, just yet. For now, until then, this is where I belong. I belong with her, beside her, in her arms. I don't care what happens, I promise never to leave her side again. This is an oath I make to myself and I never break my promises. I looked to her, she was still crying, but not sobbing. She looked like she was trying really hard to hide her tears, but was failing miserably at it. I took my free hand and wiped her cheek with it, removing the stray tears from her face. This is supposed to be an enjoyable time, not a time for tears.

_You found me!_

_(How did you know just where I would be?)_

_You broke through all of my confusion._

_The ups and the downs and you still didn't leave._

_I guess that you saw what nobody could see,_

_The good and the bad and the things in between,_

_You found me._

_You found me..._

As the music slowed down to an eventual stop, the crowd behind me cheered and shouted wildly into the auditorium, but I was tuning them out. Right now, it's just Ino-chan and me. I leaned forward, placing my lips on hers. The soft and creamy taste of her lips is something I could never live without. How I was able to do it before I met her, I don't know, but I know now that I don't ever want to be anywhere without her. I want to stay with her, feel her happiness, experience her sorrows, and eventually die with her and ascend to heaven together. This is where I want to be right now, this is where I belong. When I pulled away, she looked to me with saddened eyes.

"Sorry I'm late, Ino-chan, but I'm here now. I'm sorry I was gone for a while without telling you, but I'm here now and I'm here to stay," I said to her. Ino bit her lip slightly.

"Idiot.. you went into a coma just like that. You had me worried sick for you but I guess it's only natural that I do, right?" she asked me. I nodded to her and chuckled a bit. I noticed that we still had our hands on the microphone and it was still under our mouths. Oh crud.. that means everyone heard that. I turned around slowly and saw a crowd of people, holding their loved ones in their arms. They were silent, just watching us, and listening to us. At that moment, I felt Ino yanking me back to her. I smiled innocently at her.

"That was quite an entrance you made, Naruto-kun. That's exactly what I should have expected from you," she said with a smile. I nodded and took her in my arms, embracing her tightly. She returned the embrace, dropping the microphone on the stage. "I've missed you, Naruto-kun."

"I've only been gone for a little while, Ino-chan."

"I know, but the feeling is the same nonetheless," she responded. When we pulled away, I led her down the stage. Shikamaru took the microphone and continued the rest of the performance without their lead singer there. He'll probably beat me up when he sees me again, but I don't care. I led Ino to the bleachers, where we held each other like we used to. To me, it's only been been a short while, but I feel like we haven't been together in a long time, just as the two weeks suggest.

"I'm sorry for worrying you, Ino-chan, but I had to... attend a wedding," I said to her. She looked at me, confused. "I know, it doesn't make sense. But I guess I should spill the beans right about now, shouldn't I?"

"Yes, that would be nice," came her reply.

"Remember when I said I had something else to do, back when I called you?" I asked. Ino nodded, urging me to go on. "I went to visit a cemetery, where an old friend of mine was buried. I was there for a while, and then left. I was going to visit another person, but well.. the accident happened and I was killed."

Ino looked saddened upon hearing that.

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay, just continue. I want to know where you've been," she said. I nodded.

"An angel told me I was dead and led me to heaven. As I ascended into the clouds, my spirit vanished and everything went black. When I came to, I was in a church, much like the ones that exist around here. Everyone who I knew from the past, was there. My former teachers were all there, as well as some old friends. One of my former teachers, the one who looks like Umino-sensei, was the one who told me where I was. After that, I was then directed to the room of the groom. I went inside and saw a few of my old friends, as well as the soon-to-be husband. I can't believe it was him, and he looked the same as he was when he died, so many years ago."

"I then went to the bride's room, and saw the rest of my old friends as well as the soon-to-be wife. They all looked the same as when they died. A few minutes after that, the wedding was well underway. You know how weddings go, so I won't go into detail with that. After that, I was told that my death was staged by angels, and my body was still alive. My friend merely borrowed my soul so I could attend his wedding. Since my time up there was over, I had to return here to live out the rest of my days. At first, I was reluctant on going, but I accepted it. I still have some duties down here, you know," I finished.

"Oh really, what's that?" she asked me.

"To be in your arms, until the end of time," I said to her. She nodded at that.

"I'm glad you came back too. Do you know how miserable I've been without you?" she asked. I shook my head. "When I learned that you were killed, I was crushed at it all. I couldn't think at school, I was becoming farther and farther away from everyone, but I remembered something. You wouldn't have wanted me to live the way I was currently living at the time. As the days flew by, I started to let go of you... well, I tried to. I found out that there's just no way I could possibly let go of you. Later on, I also found out from the hospital that you were alive and was just in a coma. The thing was, they didn't know when you would wake up. I visited you every day."

"Thanks. It's nice to know that my girlfriend cares about some half dead guy," I joked. At that, she looked deep into my eyes. Oh no, I shouldn't have said that. Her feelings for me are really solid, and so I should have expected this. She pressed her body against mine, taking me into her arms.

"Please.. Naruto-kun.. don't ever say that again. I will always care for you and it really hurts to hear things like that from you. I'm not sure if you mean that as a joke and if you did, I'm sorry that I'm not taking it humorously. It's just that, I just got you back, after what Uchiha-san did to us, and just a bit a bit after that, I lost you again. You fought for me, you saved me from him, and for that, I couldn't even thank you properly. You didn't have to do that, you didn't have to save me the way you did but you still did it. You risked so much for me, and I still don't know what to do to make it up to you. I've put you through so much and I-"

"Shh.." I said, cradling her body. "Stop blaming yourself for me, yeah? I did what I did because I wanted to, not because I had to. Sure you put me through some of the worst things ever, but at the end of the road, you're still there with me, and that's what gave me the strength to come back to you. When you love some one, you have to let them go. And if they love you back, they will return to you. That happened to us. You love me so much, and you let me go, even though you probably wouldn't have if you were given the proper choice. Because I love you equally, I returned to you. This is our life, Ino-chan, and I won't trade it for anything else."

"Do you mean that, Naruto kun?" she asked. "I know I'm a lot of trouble to you but you still find it within yourself to continue forgiving me. I guess I was right in choosing that song, a few minutes ago. The ups and the downs and you still didn't leave, the good and the bad and the things in between. I guess that's what really attracts me to you, Naruto-kun, and that's why I constantly worry for you. You're the first person to see me in the light that you do. You can put up with my nonsense, you can put up with my negatives while still having the hope needed at the end of the road. I've lost you twice already, and I don't ever want to ever lose you again."

"Don't worry about it. This time, I'm here to stay. Just promise me that you will be too. Just because I died, went to heaven, and was knocked back to earth, doesn't mean you should too. You don't owe me anything. Just stay with me, that's enough," I said to her. She nodded softly at my request and leaned in for another kiss. I pushed a little deeper than she was, causing her to lose balance slightly. She placed her hands on the bleachers, maintaining her balance as she lowered us both. This isn't the time and place for this, but her dress is really turning me on. Again, this isn't the time and place. Maybe when we're alone, maybe when we're older, maybe...

"Ino-chan, let's get outta here," I said out of nowhere. My blond girlfriend looked to me, eyes filled with confusion. "It's only been a few hours for me but I suppose it's been about two weeks since you last saw me, right?"

"Well, I visited you this morning, so it's more of only a few hours for me too. But it's been two weeks since I last held you and talked to you. I'm glad you're back," she replied. I nodded at that.

"Me too, but I want to show you just how happy I am to see you again," I said in return. Two weeks really does hold the heart down, just as Ero-sennin said, during one of his lectures in one of our training trips. Besides, I want to take Ino-chan out somewhere. It was my fault for dying the way I did and left her all alone. I promised that I wouldn't leave her, and still I did. I want to be able to make up for it.

"Alright, but why not just stay here? These tickets aren't expensive but must've cost you a decent amount. Besides, I'm not sure if the shinobi era taught you how to dance the way modern high school students do, but I'm sure you know how to slow dance, right? Honestly, it's the only thing I've been looking forward to, in this whole event," she said.

I pressed my lips together. This is bad. I don't know how to slow dance, or dance at all for that matter. The old man who gave me his inheritance offered lessons, but I never grabbed the chance. Now I kinda wish that I did. I never thought they would be useful, but now I bet he's laughing up there somewhere, unable to die from the lack of air in between his laughs. Come to think of it, I bet the others are laughing at me right now. Oh well, guess I'll just have to wing it.

Ino-chan and I spent a good amount of time, just talking where we sat. We watched as our peers wore themselves out, dancing to the modern high school music that they seemed to be interested in. Shikamaru and the others in the band stopped playing some time ago so they too could get a bit of dancing in. Oh man, if only the Shikamaru of the shinobi era could see his reincarnation now. Nara-san is a party animal! And here I thought he would be a bit of a lazy bum like the pineapple-head that I know.

I especially couldn't keep my eyes off of Ino-chan. I tried to watch the others have a great time, but Ino-chan really looks beautiful tonight. It's like she was waiting and preparing for this day for so long. I sighed to myself, letting out a breath of peaceful air. Times are good now, but why do I have a feeling that things won't stay this way? Oh what am I saying? This is me we're talking about. When were things ever normal with me and the path that I walk? I just hope that Ino-chan and I can bear it together.

"Hm? Naruto-kun? Are you okay? You just spaced out right there," she said with concern.

"Ano.. yeah, I guess I did. Sorry about that," I said, bowing my head down a bit. Ino nodded and took me in her arms. Either a few hours really was two weeks for me, but I really miss this hold. I held her too, remaining silent for a while, even with the rather loud music that was playing. Just then, the loud music slowed to an eventual stop and began playing a few moments later. But the melody was different this time. It was smoother, calmer, more tranquil than the monstrous sounding one from before.

"Here's the best part, Naruto-kun," she said, yanking me out of my seat. She pulled me to the dance floor, where a few couples were already getting set on the mood of the song. I wonder who chose this song. Ino placed her arms around my neck, as I rested mine on her waist, looking down to her with a smile. I know this song, and so does she.

"This song... it's-"

"Crash and Burn, by Savage Garden," she finished. "I requested it myself. I planned on listening to it from back over there, where we were sitting, but this is a better alternative. I get to listen to it, with the man I fell in love with."

"I love you too, Ino-chan."

We stayed that way throughout the rest of the song. Her head on my chest, the lower portion of my face beside her head. I raised a hand to her hair, pressing my hand there. I guess heaven has different plans for me than just letting me rest in eternal peace. And they're right in making that decision. I don't want to rest yet, I have too much still left to do in this world. And also, I have a promise to keep. Ino... that blond-butthead is watching me from above.

In retrospect, I'm glad I came back here. I thought I would be able to part with Ino-chan, on the day of my accident. But when I watched Richard and Amber up there, saying their vows, I do admit that I felt a small pang of jealousy. I kind of envisioned that I would be up there too, with the woman that I love, saying words from my heart, to her. I wonder though, if Ino-chan and I will ever be up there. Someday... but not today. We're still young, and we have the rest of our lives ahead of us.

I left her once, and I don't feel like doing that again. I can imagine that she was probably the one struck the hardest upon my accident. I promised her that I would be okay, that I would come back to school in a couple of days, but I completely missed a couple of weeks worth of it. But that's not where my concern sits. It's that I made a promise to her and broke it, the day after. I wonder if I deserve to have some one like her, someone who's willing to put up with the heart ache and pain that my life revolves around on.

"When you feel all alone... and the world has turned its back on you. Give me a moment please, to tame your wild, wild, heart..." she said.

"Ino-chan..."

"Let me be the one you call, if you jump, I'll break your fall, lift you up and fly away with you into the night. If you need to fall apart, I can mend a broken heart. If you need to crash then crash and burn, you're not alone," she finished softly. Do I truly deserve someone as angelic as this? Someone who is ready to tame my wild heart? I smiled softly.

"When you feel all alone... and a loyal friend is hard to find, you're caught in a one-way street, with the monsters in your head. When hopes and dreams are far away and you feel like you can't face the day..." she said. This girl... just makes me smile.

"Ino-chan... thank you," I said to her, capturing her lips into a kiss. Who knows? Maybe she and I really will end up atop that area where Richard and Amber stood, exchanging their vows. I'm not ready for that, not yet, but when the time comes, I'll find the strength to repay all that she has done for me. She often says that I bring her happiness, but in truth, it's her that brings me happiness. To feel her lips again, this way... to exchange our vows wordlessly, it's a beautiful feeling.

"Naruto-kun, stay with me," she said. I nodded softly.

"I will. Ino-chan, it's because of you that I returned here. I could have fought back to stay in heaven, I could have resisted them and allowed my body to die down here, but then something flashed in my head. Your smile, Ino-chan. If I didn't return, I wouldn't ever see it again. I like seeing your smiles, it tells me that I'm doing something right. It tells me that maybe, just maybe, I can live a normal life."

"Naruto-kun..."

"Being with you like this, is exactly what I needed. I'm glad I returned," I paused for a moment, taking in her hopeful gaze into my eyes. "I'm glad to see your smile again."

"Naruto-kun.. I think I'm the one who should be thankful. When I learned that you were only in a coma, and not really gone, I prayed every night for you to get better. I'm not exactly strong in the religion aspect of myself, not since my mother left my father and I. I guess I never really had a reason to pray. But when I thought of you, laying on that bed, with machines keeping you alive, I knew that maybe it was time to start believing again. I don't think I'll ever be able to repay the one who answered my prayers."

"Oh, I think whoever answered your prayer wanted me to return as much as you did. But let's talk about it later. There's one more song after this one, right?" she nodded. "Then let's enjoy it together."

"Yeah," she nodded once more and smiled, pressing her head against my chest once more.

I embraced her a little tighter, as if afraid that I'll be taken away from her again. In a sense, I actually am. I don't want her to be sad anymore. I want to keep her safe, to make her happy, and to always be here for her. I looked up, looking through the glass ceiling above, and smiled to the night sky as the first song finished and the second song came to pass. I know you're all watching me from up there, and I won't disappoint. I'm sorry, but I don't feel like returning to you guys anymore. I have a promise to keep, and some one to love. But I'll see you guys again. I felt something shift from below.

"Naruto-kun, are you alright?" she asked. I looked down to her and smiled, nodding away.

"Yeah, don't worry about me," I replied and smiled to her. She didn't look too convinced at that, but I really am alright. I haven't felt this much at peace in a long time, and it's all thanks to my friends above. If they hadn't convinced me to return, I may not be here to experience this. I have always been a bit thick-headed, but they have always been able to put up with me.

"Naruto-kun, what's on your mind?" she asked. I held her closer and placed my mouth next to her ear. This one word should be able to give us both some peace, and it's the truth to her question. In a sense, I've been thinking of my friends as well, but that's really short-lived. Right now, the only thing on my mind is...

"You."

* * *

**Ahhh good, finished at last. It took me a bit longer than usual to finish this chapter, as I have a lot of things to do now. But it wasn't really the fact that time was against me this time, but more on the fact that a lot of ideas were circling around my head, this time around. Honestly though, I wrote and finished this chapter, about a day after posting chapter 10.**

**As I waited for the responses in chapter 10, and how you all felt about it, a few things entered my mind. I reread chapter 11 and found that nothing was wrong with it, but I could indeed make it better. I could have posted the original one, but decided to revise it a bit. There was something about the previous chapter 11 that I just couldn't allow to happen. I think this one turned out the way I envisioned it to.**

**I hope to make a sequel to this story and I think I just might. I understand I've already released several chapters after this one but I'll be taking those out. When I release that sequel, it will not have the posted chapters but something else entirely different. Well, this is good bye for now.**

**Ja ne!**


End file.
